ALICE
by schnook
Summary: When Alice returns to her childhood escape, she may find more than she bargained for...
1. Chapter One: Time

Disclaimer: I do not own _Alice in Wonderland_ (Lewis Carroll) or any of the book's characters. Now, to Chapter One:

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The day was dull and lifeless. A pitiful breeze brushed by the window now and again, lifting dead debris slightly off the grass, causing the leaves to tumble this way and that. There was a peculiar expression of grey about the day. No birds were singing; no people were calling. Even Alice's cats had ceased their usual purrs.

Alice had been sitting by the window for the last two hours. She longed to go outside and make something of the day. True, it may have not been the most pleasant of days; but sitting there stuck inside her room made her feel as though she were shut up in a cold grave.

The sun suddenly gave a promising peek in the sky, before hiding beyond the dark grey clouds again.

Alice sighed heavily.

She bent her head down and studied her hands. They twisted and turned together, as if performing a dance for their possessor, and once again she noticed the small sparkle protruding from her ring finger:

Arthur's ring.

It had been three days since she had been officially engaged to the man. The ring looked odd on her finger. It seemed too dainty and elegant for someone like herself. With a golden band and small, shapely diamond sitting on top of it, she felt like a lady instead of the girl she was. _Perhaps it is for the best_, she mused to herself, _in reality, I must be very lucky._ She grimaced. _Yes...lucky._

Arthur himself was most pleased with his conquest, considering he never truly asked Alice herself. The match had been arranged by Alice's father, who had conveniently bumped into an old friend with a son whose fortune was dangling from his pockets, within reach of, well, anyone.

Nonetheless, Arthur still counted Alice's presumed heart as a victory for himself. Although slightly vain, Alice had to admit that Arthur was all in all a good man. He had no quick temper, or cruel disposition, no; instead one could almost say he had a tender heart.

These were the thoughts Alice was continuously convincing herself of day and night.

Thinking of Arthur, his own voice protruded her thoughts. He was downstairs, as she heard the familiar greetings exchanged between him and her father:

"Hello, Mr. Liddell"

"Hello, Arthur. Here to see Miss Liddell?"

"Why, yes sir...if that is convenient."

Alice smiled to herself. Would their formalities ever change?

"Alice!" Her father called up to her from below.

"I'm coming Father!"

Alice quickly got up and began searching for her new blue shawl in her messy room. Although Arthur's visits were frequent, her mother always made a point of her being presentable. It drove Alice mad sometimes.

"_Alice, you can't wear that now," her mother was shocked._

"_Why not?" _

"_It's dinner. Get changed!" Her mother commanded._

"_But it's only you and Father. I've been wearing this all day!" Alice protested._

"_Good heavens, wash up!"_

Ah! There it was! Alice grabbed the shawl and spun it around her slim shoulders.

"Alice!" Her Father was becoming impatient.

Alice yanked open her door and made an effort to compose herself at the top of the stairs.

"Oh, Alice, there you are. Come and see Mr. Rolve. I'll let you two be," and with a final nod, her father left the hall for his study.

Alice came down the stairs slowly, carefully trying not to trip or make a fool of herself. Her skirts were renowned for a mind of their own, and she was convinced she would fall flat on her face at any moment. When she lived to see the bottom of the stairs she worked herself up to produce a friendly smile.

"Hello Mr. Rolve," she stationed herself securely.

"Alice." Arthur was only in the habit of saying her name with her father's absence. "I thought we should sit in the parlour today, if you don't mind."

Alice nodded enthusiastically, although a walk outside in the fresh morning air would have been infinitely preferred. "That would be splendid." She did not sound like herself, she noted, when she talked to him. She sounded like her English instructor.

They sat next to each other in the parlour. Arthur did not mind being so close, but Alice was constantly fighting the urge to squirm, get up and pace, or simply run out. She had to bite down on her lip hard.

"You have not mentioned wedding details," Arthur nudged her. Lately he had been pressing her father for a short engagement, and a large, extravagant wedding ceremony; a plan he had not yet related to Alice herself. Her father had refused this, of course, as Alice was too young to be married right now. 'She needs time,' he had said.

Arthur looked at her. It did not look like she needed time. Just a few days past eighteen, and she looked at the peak of her physical beauty. Her soft, yellow hair was pulled back messily, in what seemed as frustration. A solitary curl refused to obey, though, as it danced at the side of her temple. Her skin was golden, due to long hour's out-of-doors in her childhood.

He frowned; her eyes, now looking up at him quizzically seemed distant and far off. Their blue-green shade seemed melancholy. He wondered why she needed time.

"I'm not marrying you," she stated after along pause, answering his long-forgotten question.

"What?" He asked, startled.

"I mean, I'm not marrying you yet. I wish you wouldn't talk of such things." She frowned out of sheer frustration. How many times had she told him that? And yet, here they were again, having the same conversation as the previous day.

Arthur decided this was a touchy subject, and chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully for a few moments before deciding the best tactic to proceed with. "I know you may be slightly, uh...nervous about this arrangement, Alice. I don't blame you. But let me assure you there is nothing to be worried about. I've already told you I'll care and provide; I gave you my word. This may take some getting used to, but you have to accept the fact that, uh, this must happen. People don't just get engaged and then break it off. They don't have long engagements either – it's so unbecoming. We must press forward-"

Alice had the feeling he was beginning to lecture and took the opportunity to cut him off. "I know, I know. I'm not trying to get out of it (_much_, she amended in her head), I just...uh, I just need time."

Arthur groaned inwardly. There it was again. Time. How much time did he have to give? He was growing impatient with this same excuse.

"What is it with people and time around here?" He demanded impatiently. Alice was slightly taken aback, though; she had to admit to herself, at least they were getting somewhere.

"I turned eighteen three days ago," Alice began icily; "I'm not going to rush into anything."

"Exactly, you are eighteen. And how many of your friends are unmarried like yourself?" He pulled out the trump card.

"Um…Uh, well, none?"

Arthur smiled triumphantly, and then composed himself. He put on his usual superior air. "Think about it, okay?"

Alice nodded solemnly. She already was.

With that Arthur gathered his coat and hat and took his leave. "Oh, and by the way," Arthur poked his head through the door one last time, "think about it...soon. You may have time, but I'm afraid time is something I am lacking."

Alice clenched her fists. The ignorant fool. Yes, he was handsome. Yes, he was rich. But responsible? Humble? She clenched her teeth together.

"I'd rather die than marry you," she muttered to herself.

Realisation struck her like lightening. She threw open the parlour door and checked the hallway. He was already gone, in his carriage. She breathed a sigh of relief. That had the possibility of not ending well if he had overheard her.

She trotted her way to the front door, and into the garden. _Time_, she thought to herself, _what harm does a little time do?_ She kicked up gravel on the path with the toe of her boot. He wanted everything from her, and the one thing she asks in return is absolutely impossible. Of course. She kicked the gravel harder.

Her thoughts continued to swirl. _Time, time, time._ Where was it, that place where time seemed to stand still but race forward at the same time? In the back of her memory, a small light was calling for attention. She sighed heavily. It would not come to her now, now with her head swimming through thoughts of Arthur.

She came to the end of the path. In front of her was a wide expanse of property, a flowing river of green, dotted with tall oaks and pines. She could just see the tall, iron gates that set off the property; they were a mere speck in the distance. The grass was a lustrous green as autumn laid a glassy sheen of dewdrops over it like a carpet; it seemed to be calling for running, jumping and foolishness. It was a call she could not refuse.

She sprinted.

The cool air was sharp and fresh against her face as she ran. She didn't know where she was running. All she knew was that now she was free. By the time she stopped, her skirts were damp and muddied; her hair wild and tangled about her face.

She decided to sneak in through the back of the house. Her Mother would have a fit if she saw her like this.

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"I'm going to have a fit."

Her Mother stood squarely, arms crossed across her chest, a look of pure displeasure stretched over her face.

Alice had attempted the back entrance, only to find her mother waiting at the door for her.

"I promise you I'm going to have a fit."

Alice sighed reluctantly.

"You've been running," her Mother accused angrily.

"Yes ma'am," Alice admitted sheepishly.

"And you messed up your hair"

"Yes ma'am."

Her mother eyed her skirts sharply. Her mouth twisted down in a mixture of disapproval and disappointment. "_And_ you've ruined your nice, pretty skirts! Oh, Alice. When will you ever learn?"

Alice frowned. "Give me time, I'll work on it." She seemed to be saying that a lot today.

She was dismissed to her room.

Alice did not sleep well. That night, lying ram-rod straight in her narrow bed she dreamt furiously. Her dreams were images – snippets of a place that used to be: A rabbit. A cat. A Cheshire cat. A hat. A very large hat. Tea. Lots of tea. A Queen. Twins. A small hole. Time....

Alice jolted up right in her bed. She was barely conscience when it came to her. Her eyes flittered open for a moment before closing again, chains pulling her back down into deep, sweet sleep.

She lay down again, her soft, pink lips slightly parted as one word lay resting on them:

_Wonderland._


	2. Chapter Two: Rekindled Memories

Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland _by Lewis Carroll_ or any of it's characters. Now that that's out of the way it's on with the story!!!! _____________________________________________________________

_Wonderland_.

It was the first thought that popped into Alice's mind that morning.

She sat up, eyes popped open wide, startled by this new revelation spinning around her head. Wonderland came swooping back at her the way one might remember an old friend who they had forgot to write to; Alice was slightly embarrassed, a tad mystified and overall completely resolved to find a way back. _Which of course_, she reasoned, _is just about the stupidest thing I can and have ever done_.

She felt the diamond ring heavy on her finger and sighed guiltily. _Okay, it's the second stupidest._

Alice threw aside the sheets on her bed and jumped up, ignoring the awful dizziness that accompanied the spontaneous action. It may be fine for one to think of the possibilities of arriving at a possibly figurative destination, whereas actually getting there was another thing entirely. Alice shook her head; how could she be sure the place was even real? It was perfectly plausible she had dreamt the whole thing up. _Which is another perfectly valid reason for me not even to attempt looking for the place_, Alice thought. It would also save her looking like an idiot if anyone had chanced to pass by.

Alice continued to plotter about the room, muttering to herself all the excellent reasons for her to ignore the burning desire inside of her:

'...much too dangerous...'

'...perfectly silly...'

'...isn't even real...'

'...ignore such nonsense...'

'...I am absolutely resolved to...'

Alice gritted her teeth together. Darn this curiosity. She had unconsciously picked up her warm, blue, button-down coat from the chair and was now peering down at it in astonishment. Had it jumped into her hands? She shook her head, as if trying to clear it. She knew all the muttering in the world could not stop her.

She shook her head again, shaking her hair about like a lion. "I often give myself very good advice-how unfortunate that I very seldom take it," she scolded herself.

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"Well, don't I feel perfectly silly."

Alice stood in the far-corner of the woods, surrounded by the tall trees that stretched towards the sky, casting eerie shadows across the mossy ground.

She was only a few metres away from a half-destroyed rabbit hole, eyeing it as if it were one of Cook's new creations.

She stood awkwardly, deliberating what to do next.

"Well, I suppose the first, most obvious option would for me to _try _to fit through _that_," she mused to herself aloud. The same look of wary scepticism took over her face as she stated this.

"The second option would be for me to go home and forget all about it."

Alice stood as still as a statue for a moment, as if seriously weighing her two options, before quickly concluding: "I'm in preference for home. I see no third option." She clapped her hands together with a judicial air, finalising her decision. She turned back towards the path, only to rock back on her heels. The path had been there, only a few moments ago.

She spun around, peering through the forest, trying to spot the temperamental path. _Oh no_, Alice groaned inwardly, _don't tell me I'm lost._

As she scanned her surroundings, searching for some clue as to her whereabouts through the mossy pebbles and tall, lean ferns, she spied a flash of colour. Her muscles tensed.

It was there, beyond the odd-looking fern (it seemed to be shaped like a dancer; one foot aloft in the air, and arms wide and forbearing), and then it was gone. Alice blinked. She studied harder. Nothing moved. She relaxed a little, and let her shoulders down.

"You forgot option three," a low, monotone voice came from behind her. She spun around in shock, only to face never-ending forest.

"Hello?" Alice called out uncertainly. She considered how far she was from the house, and her chances of getting out of here alive.

"Hello."

Alice once again spun to face the voice, her head swimming with all the confusion of the situation.

This time she stood face to face with a...well, she had no idea what it was, actually.

"Uh, I didn't see you there," Alice's voice shook. She studied the creature's face – or rather, the mask that covered it. It was slightly sinister – a white cloth with no eye or mouth hole, just a small slit to allow the creature to breath. It seemed to be stitched to the creature's face with a thick, red string. She wondered if it could ever be removed.

"They usually don't," came the monotone reply. He – Alice presumed it was a male from the deep voice – seemed already bored with her.

"I don't suppose you could tell me how to find my way back to the main town, would you?" Alice asked hopefully, not quite sure why she was asking this sinister creature for directions, as if it might have been the local milkman. For all she knew, it might not have plans for her to make her way out of here alive.

"The main town? Are you serious?" If the creature's eyebrow was visible, Alice could have sworn it was raised. She could almost see a faint ripple in the cloth above his brow. "Are you blind, lady? The path is right behind you."

Alice turned slightly, and to her astonishment, found herself practically standing on the first brick of a bright yellow path, leading off into deeper forest. She turned back to...it...and called it's already retreating figure.

"Hey! Hey, this isn't the way I came," panic grew in her voice, "I don't understand....can you tell me where exactly am I?"

He trotted back reluctantly. "Wonderland; where else?" He turned to leave for the second time.

"Wait! I still don't understand. I don't remember ever, well, _getting_ here. How is that possible?"

The creatures features, as hidden as they were, were held amazingly neutral .The face barely seemed to move behind the mask. "It isn't possible. That's how you're here."

Alice grimaced. She had always imagined it would end up something like this. "So- I didn't fall down any porthole, no strange doors, and no secret passageways?"

The creature snorted – the first sign of any real emotion it had made throughout the whole conversation. "Falling down an inconvenient space where earth should be isn't the only way to get to Wonderland."

Alice blushed vehemently. "Er...right." Without wasting any more precious time, the creature turned around abruptly and walked back within the trees, a small shimmer, and then it was gone.

Alice held her head for a moment. Whether she was checking her temperature, or keeping it from rolling off, she had no idea. She felt queer; as if the world had been turned upside-down on its head. Which, in reality, probably had.

"Oh my," Alice murmured. She had no idea of what to do now. She had come searching for this place, but never dreamt she would actually find it. "Perhaps I'm not giving myself enough credit," she mused aloud.

Her thoughts went back to home, and lingered by the puzzling question of how she would get back. She thought of her Father and Mother, what would happen if they noticed her absence? How long would it take before they acted? _Perhaps, _she thought, _time will slow down up there. Maybe a few days here would be mere hours – or maybe even minutes – back home._ She considered her last visit to Wonderland. It took the length of a nap for what seemed like days to pass in Wonderland. She considered this, twirling her hands together nervously.

"Well, now that I'm here, I might as well make the most of it." With this declaration Alice set off on the path the – thing – had so graciously pointed out. Within the blink of an eye, she had disappeared around the bend as if on a brisk, morning walk.

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The creature waited within the mass of trees till he was certain she was gone. He heard her footsteps drift away into silence, and peeked out from beneath a fern.

"She's gone," he announced in the same low, monotone drawl.

Now two other same, masked creatures emerged stealthily from their hiding places. Their appearance was intimidating; both in their physique and their menacing masks. If it had not been their massively muscled bodies, you might have thought their movements to be cat-like. The three gathered together, watching the space where the young woman had stood only a few moments ago.

The first (the one who had spoken to Alice) cleared his throat and was the first to break the long silence.

"Her majesty will be most impressed."

The other two masks nodded in agreement. After another long pause the second spoke (who could easily be confused with any of its companions. So we shall distinguish him with his number: Two).

"You should have just taken her then. It would save us a lot of trouble." His voice was the same monotone of number One, if not a pitch or two lower.

"I agree," agreed Three, repeating his favourite line. His voice was the deepest; it grumbled through the forest in echoes.

"That would not do. We were given strict orders to wait for her-well, orders! We will lose far more than our heads if we do not obey." One commanded the authority, broadening his shoulders against his two companions.

Two and Three shuddered, the same thought passing through their heads. Three unconsciously touched his mask. "We better obey then," he concluded, his booming voice child-like and vulnerable as he thought of the Queen.

The three masked creatures then got down on all fours and sniffed after Alice's trail. Their muscles twisted every which-way as they stalked down the trail. From a distance, anyone would have sworn they were hunting cats.


	3. Chapter 3: An Overdue Meeting

A/N: Not sure when I'll be adding again, as I have exams coming up – hopefully soon! I hope it's not hard to follow, all will reveal itself in due course!!! Please comment!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Alice in Wonderland_ etc.... Do you think I'd be writing fan fiction if I did?

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Alice was making her way down the winding path, each turn seeming sharp and spontaneous. She would turn one corner, and before her would appear another turn she had not expected; it was as if the road was building itself just one step ahead of her.

She walked discreetly, cowering slightly at any unexpected ruffle of the ferns or shuffle among the long grass on either side of her. Her skirts swished to the motion of her walking, a rhythm she sometimes suspected was being interrupted by a following trail of footsteps. She glanced over her shoulder several times, all to no avail. Nothing was behind her but the path she had tracked.

She must have been walking a while, as her feet were growing sore. She grimaced as blisters started to reveal themselves along her toes.

"Well, isn't this fine," she muttered darkly to herself.

"It most certainly is," said a voice from behind her.

Alice's heart stuttered as she turned around. It only resumed when she saw it was only a poor woman standing there. She sighed in relief.

"I – uh – didn't see you there. Sorry," Alice smiled apologetically. The poor woman was old, wrinkles creasing her face to such a degree one could hardly make out her features. She was cloaked in a shabby shawl, dusted as if an antique. At her feet, three small house-cats rubbed themselves against her withering calves. She smiled back at Alice.

"I didn't want you to see me." The poor woman's smile turned sour.

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Alice's eyes fluttered open. Her vision was hazy, and as she stared up above her, all she could see was an array of mismatched colours. She tried to prop herself up on her elbows, only to find a sharp bolt of pain crawl up her as she moved.

She rested her head back down with a thud. She winced. Everything hurt.

Lying there, unable to move, she had nothing to do but try to remember what had happened. She glanced around her, moving only her eyes, her vision clearing as she tried to recall if she had been here before. Around her she could only see some form of straw and blue sky.

Where was this?

She was laying on something warm, but not comfortable. Once again, she tried to call back images from her repertoire, to find anything that would give her some form of explanation.

Nothing.

She frowned, the only thing she could do without pain, and tried to think. Still nothing. Alice decided to wait, wait for anything. She closed her eyelids. She didn't have to wait long.

"It's still asleep," stated a voice.

"_She_ is still asleep," corrected another.

"That's what I said," the voice replied, irritated, "You _never_ listen to what I say."

"I _always _listen to what you say. I just disregard it all after I have heard it."

"That's what I meant."

"No you didn't."

"Yes, I did."

"No, you didn't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No!"

"YES!"

"NO!"

"YEESS - It's awake!" The voice exclaimed; its attention diverted.

"_She's _awake. Will you ever learn? _She, she she!"_ The second voice groaned.

Alice watched the two companions argue over, well, herself. She stared up at them in shock as they stood over her, arguing and eventually forgetting her presence. She wondered who they were, and more importantly, when it would end.

She concentrated on the taller figure first. His clothes were instantly recognisable; bright oranges and blues, spots and strips and a green, velvet vest. The only problem was that she did not recognise his face. He wore a tall, orange hat that seemed to be constantly slipping down over his eyes. Every now and again he had to push it back up. Was it possible she was looking up at the Hatter?

"You _never_ listen. Never at all. Don't tell me you do, because you don't," retorted the young... Hatter? He stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the figure opposite him.

"I don't listen to you when you talk. I don't listen to you when you are mad. And I _never_ listen to you when you are talking madness," the second figure sniffed superiorly. Alice recognised him instantly, now that she could see past the blur. Complete with his bowtie, the March Hare brought about the sickly sweet smell of tea at merely the sight of him. Alice watched them, mystified at what to do and the sheer impossibility of the situation.

She cleared her throat loudly.

The two stopped mid-sentence and looked down at her.

"Oh," they said in unison, sounding genuinely surprised. The Hare had one furry eyebrow raised.

"We didn't see you there. You shouldn't drop in on people like that – it's rude," he said.

The Hatter didn't say anything - just looked down in quiet surprise.

"I hate to get in the way, but would you be able to, err, help me up. I can't move," Alice tried to get up again, only to cry out in pain.

"Don't move," the Hare cried, holding his paws up as to act as some sort of stop sign. He looked Alice up and down, a worried expression on his face. "This looks like the work of the Queen. Or an accomplice. Or anyone else affiliated with her. Heck, it could have been me, but I don't remember doing it, so it probably wasn't. Write me off the list. "I'm not guilty!" The Hare bounced from one foot to another in hysterics. "Not me! Not me!" The bouncing never seemed to end.

"Calm down!" The Hatter commmanded. He held the bunny down with two gloved hands. "We need to get help," he looked around frantically, "do I have to do it?"

Alice watched the chaos in confusion. They seemed to be running around with their hands on their heads, the reason beyond Alice. "Why do I need help? Is there something wrong with me? What's happened?"

The bunny and the man slowed down and thought for a moment.

"It should pass," the Hatter said slowly.

"Depends when she was infected," the Hare contradicted. They seemed to have transformed from crazed lunatics to deliberating doctors. "She'll be safe here though."

Alice managed to take a second look around her. "Where exactly am I?"

"Hay fields."

"I'm lying on a hay stack?"

The Hatter looked uncomfortable. "Sort of..."

Something moved from under Alice, and all of a sudden she was off the ground, high in the air. She cried out in surprise.

The Hare looked sheepish. "Ha ha," he laughed uncomfortably, "camels – what do you know?"

Alice stared down at him in disbelief, finding herself able to move her neck just a small portion.

"Are you trying to tell me I am infirm, _and_ on a camel?"

The Hatter now answered, shaking his head vigorously – sending his hat flying. "You could hardly be called infirm. You're healing already."

"But I _am_ on a camel?"

"The hump of a camel, to be precise," the Hare corrected, one finger in the air, "feels like straw, doesn't it?"

Alice nodded helplessly.

The hare agreed solemnly. "Yes, that feeling is what I hate. If it _felt_ like camel, I would be satisfied. But no, it just _has_ to feel like straw!" The Hare seemed to have a good deal of experience in the area, a fact Alice used to her advantage.

"Uh – Mr. Hare? Could you tell me how I can get _off _this thing; I think he is beginning to walk."

The Hare's small, brown eyes lit up. "_Good_, you must be healed then! How lucky! So quickly, too! Oh, that's right – getting off....Swing your leg over, yes – like that. Now use the hump as a support to ease your way down its side – never the front or back, they get _very_ aggressive. Good girl!"

Alice clambered her way down, still feeling a little weak. She landed on the ground with a thud.

She got up shakily, holding one hand to her head, as if to stop it from rolling off.

"Thank you," she said, a little breathless.

The two friends nodded simultaneously, muttering something like, 'all part of the job.'

"Come dear," the Hare tugged on her skirts, "I will lead you back to the cottage. We were just setting up for a tea party, you know."

Alice winced slightly, but followed the March Hare and the unusually quiet Hatter through the field, back onto the path.


	4. Chapter 4: The Tea Party

Disclaimer: I do not own the original 'Alice in Wonderland.'

Now, on with the story!

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The long, rectangular table was set. The mismatching chairs and their cushions were plumped. The silverware and the pottery had been shined to an immaculate finish. And most importantly, the tea was hot and ready. To complete the picture; Alice sat at the head of the table, seated on the large, red wingback. It seemed finished with Alice there, seated just as she was all those years ago; it was like the missing piece of the puzzle had returned, finally.

The Hare grinned at her briefly from across the table. "Let the tea party begin!" The Hare cried out in excitement. Both the Hatter and the Hare threw up their hands in delight. The two wasted no time.

"You said something strange before, in the hay fields," began Alice, recalling while she sipped tea, also not wasting any time.

"That doesn't sound out of character, dear. I _am _mad, you'll recall. We all are." The Hare nodded once in the Hatter's general direction.

"Not strange in _that _way, you said something _interesting_."

"Strange things can often be interesting." The Hare looked confused.

"I suppose so, yes," replied Alice hastily, clearing it up, "but you mentioned the Queen? Please, I'm curious." Alice waited impatiently as the Hare poured himself another cup.

"I'm not surprised," the Hatter cut in unexpectedly, almost bitter in his tone.

Alice was taken aback, more from the harsh glare that accompanied the sentence than the actual comment. When it came to the new Hatter, Alice was completely mystified as to what his problem was, except for him being mad, of course.

The Hare, however, did not seem to hear his friend, but concentrated deeply on his tea, or assembling his reply, or even both. At any rate, he ignored them both.

"The Queen," the Hare began thoughtfully after a long, awkward silence, "yes – the Queen. I do remember now. Can you tell me if you remember anything before we, err, found you?"

Alice thought for a moment. There was a woman. An old woman. Alice began to recall her odd encounter. "There was an older lady there, with me. Although she had not been with me – she just appeared out of thin air. She had cats, and looked very poor..."

Alice shuddered as she thought of the woman's sinister smile. "She acted...off. She seemed kind enough at first, but then..."

Alice shuddered involuntarily again.

She doubted her account made any sense. Did anything in Wonderland?

But the Hare was nodding, his ears bouncing up and down. "Cats, you say?"

Alice frowned. Perhaps she was asking the wrong people. She was trying to find the answers to a vicious encounter, and here a mad bunny was concerned about cats.

"Yes," Alice said slowly, wishing she hadn't brought it up now at all, "there _were_ cats – three – but I'm failing to see the significance." Was it too late to make up an excuse and leave?

"There are only three types of cat in Wonderland," the Hare began, looking tired and strained. It didn't suit him, this mood; it made him look so old, "there is, of course, the Cheshire cat – who I doubt would have such poor taste to go running around with a little old lady – let alone have the capacity to duplicate, no, triplicate, himself three times over."

Alice nodded, not quite understanding where this was going.

"There are the average house cats. Average, I suppose in the way meaning they are common. The horrid thing is they fly overhead constantly and steal my cream puffs; small, ghastly things that unfortunately ate the dormouse last week."

"My sympathies," Alice murmured, not sure what else to say, or do. Well, she had one idea in mind – to get up and leave for a more helpful informer. Good manners made her stay.

"And then," the Hare stopped, choosing his next words carefully. He lowered his voice, "there are the Queen's cats. Horrible looking creatures that have the ability to transform into any of the other two cats they choose. They are hunters, and obey no one but the Queen."

Alice froze, her heart beat quickening. "I-I saw one, one of those cats. It was horrible."

The Hare nodded, while the Hatter continued to stay silent in the background. "Well, let's not jump to conclusions. They could have truly been house cats. There is no real way to be sure."

"No-no, that's not what I meant," Alice stammered, shaking her head furiously, "I saw one, the beast-looking thing; just as I got here it was the first thing I saw. It had a mask on. It _looked_ ghastly, but it acted, well, normal enough for Wonderland."

This time the Hare and the Hatter both looked up from their tea, startled.

"You _saw_ it like that?" The Hare asked incredulously.

Alice didn't say anything, only nodded.

The Hare now sounded bleak, "the Queen must have some business with you, Alice. I'd be careful if I were you."

"If it is the Queen who wants me, why have a poor, old woman out for me? And none of this explains how I was, well, knocked out, I guess you could say."

"My dear, the Queen no longer controls her kingdom by be-heading her adversaries," the Hare looked about him warily, as if watching for spies, "she has developed the Plague."

"The Plague?" Alice too, felt wary. The Wonderland she once knew, it seems, had grown far more sinister.

"The most efficient way to control one's people is through the spreading of disease. It promotes fear, her majesty's power, and death when necessary. I believe you were exposed to it by this woman in a lesser degree."

"But why?"

The Hare said nothing, only looked away.

"I'm afraid you will have to figure that out for yourself," the unfamiliar voice of the Hatter came ringing over the table, sending chills down Alice's spine. It was clearly a hint to go.

Alice nodded slightly, rising from the table. "I guess that means – uh, I'll leave you now. Please excuse me." Alice left with a dazed look on her face.

"Be careful," the Hare called out after her. He had no idea whether she had heard or not; she was already out the gate.

-------

The Hare turned to give the Hatter a hard stare, knowing Alice was now gone.

"And what is _your_ problem?"

The hatter's head snapped up defensively. He had been concentrating on his tea, which was now spilt over his waistcoat in shock. "What do you _mean_, what's _my_ problem?"

"Don't answer my question with one of your own. It confuses me."

The Hatter saw an opportunity to avoid the whole discussion, but thought it better to be truthful with his old friend.

"Are you sure it's Alice?" He asked all of a sudden.

"How can it not be?" The Hare was genuinely surprised.

"Let me remind you that Alice happens to be this tall," at this point the Hatter held his hand up to his waist to illustrate, "and happened to have the voice of a child."

The Hare sighed, already guessing where this was going. "She _was_ a child. She was a child _then_. She has grown."

"Then what has happened to me?"

The Hare shrugged nonchalantly. "How should I know? You're a mystery of modern-day science. Quite the _Benjamin Button_."

The Hatter glared, not appreciating his humor in the slightest. "Perhaps I am wrong."

The Hare nodded, not surprised.

"It's unlikely though," the Hatter continued.

His best friend sighed. "The _real_ issue is, though, is what to do with Alice."

The Hatter pointed to the gate, "she's gone. Not our problem anymore. We can't afford to get mixed up in this. Think of what will happen to _us_."

"But it's wrong."

The Hatter shook his head. "If she truly is Alice, she can take care of herself. Besides, what help would we be to her? Have you forgotten the last time we tried to face down the Queen's army?"

The Hare considered this, his courage depleted a little. "Perhaps you are right, to some degree. We will wait till she needs our help. Then we shall decide what to do."

The Hatter snorted, but agreed.

"No good will come of this, you know," the Hatter prophesied dramatically.

The Hare nodded, casting his eyes toward the empty chair where Alice had sat with a resigned sigh. "Yeah, I know."


	5. Chapter 5: The Missing

**Okay, so I have a little confession: I had no idea with where I was taking this story when I started. Please don't throw potatoes at me; they're hard. **

**But, I have had an epiphany this afternoon! It has all come to me! Hooray for vision! People started looking at me weird in class 'cause I just started grinning all of a sudden. I've worked it out! Hopefully, with a set plot in mind, everything will make a little more sense and the writing will also be better…I hope so… :)**

**Also, my name is Lewis Carroll. Not. **

**Plus, there may be some references to other stuff, not just in this chapter, but throughout the story, so obviously I don't own that, either.**

**On with the story!**

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Alice was on her own, standing on a path leading to nowhere in particular. Again. It seemed this odd habit was beginning to cement itself into her routine, here in Wonderland. It seemed all she was capable of doing here was stand on a path without a single clue. That _and_ making enemies who would like to see her dead. Well, at least she was getting somewhere. Better two talents then just the one.

What was the Queen's problem, anyway? The Question angrily pushed itself into Alice's head. Surely it wasn't normal behavior here to simply go around killing people. Even the last time Alice was here, as a small child, the Queen had no singled out hatred for only one person. It was only now.

And now, that one person was Alice.

Alice wished she wasn't so alone on the path.

And now, it seemed she had widened her talent of making enemies to the Hatter himself. She had done nothing, and yet, here she was again; signing herself up for enmity with whomever wanted it with her. What _was_ his problem? She recalled his dark glare from across the table this afternoon; if it hadn't been so malicious, it would have been comical. She tried to shake the thoughts from her head.

There were three things she now knew:

The first was that the Queen was after her. True, the Queen may be fierce and cruel; willing to sacrifice anyone in her Kingdom to the hands of this deadly disease she has created, but Alice knew she was number one on the Queen's agenda. If the Queen wanted anyone at all, it would be Alice. And Alice had no idea why.

The second was that the Queen was not working alone. Alice had to be careful from now on as to whom she trusted. Even the seemingly harmless tea party she had just attended could have been a set-up designed by the Queen herself. Alice remembered how close she had been to that animal, when she first arrived. She had even conversed with it, asked it for directions. A shiver scratched down her back bone as she recalled how close they had been. It could have taken her out. So easily.

The third and final was that she had to find a way out. As charming as it was to be hunted like a dog, she didn't want to stay another minute. You would have to be a fool if you were to stay when death was looking at you right in the face.

"Why hello, miss. What a fool you are to be so alone and deep into the woods all by yourself," came a silken voice from above Alice's head.

She started, glancing around her frantically till an 'up here' brought her chin up toward the branches of the nearest tree. There stretched out luxuriantly along the branch lay the Cheshire cat. Or a Cheshire-cat-impostor, Alice reminded herself firmly.

"Who are you?" Alice was surprised by the simple question that sprang from her lips, as if it itself would coax out the truth of the cat's identity. She felt foolish for saying it; a heated confrontation would have been more fitted, but what was done was done.

The cat grinned lazily at the question. "You shouldn't ask questions you already know the answers to."

So she knew the answer? Alice frowned. "You are the real Cheshire cat?" Skepticism brought her voice one octave higher.

"If I were not, I am sure I would have bagged you already."

Alice considered this carefully. It was true, to a point. And besides, if this animal wasn't the Cheshire cat she knew, what hope did she have against it? Might as well stay and get it over and done with, either way this meeting would turn out in a way that was inescapable.

"I agree."

"Good," the Cheshire cat stretched out on the branch. He was so fat, and the branch was so thin, Alice was frightened it might snap under his heavy weight at any moment. It wobbled and groaned, but it never snapped. "It is a good thing I found you, Alice," the cat said.

"Why is that?" She asked; her voice a little shaky. Alice was still expecting it to lash out at any moment, transforming into the beast she had once seen. But the cat remained the same, much to her relief.

"I have a secret that would benefit you greatly," the cat grinned teasingly, enjoying its private knowledge. It released its fluffy tale from under its paw and teased Alice's nose with the tip of it, making her twitch impatiently.

"Aren't you going to tell me what it is?"

The cat laughed; its voice swaying like silk. It smiled down at Alice. "Oh, but why would I tell you when it is _so _much fun teasing you like this? My secret would help your mystery along. I will give you a hint; it is about the Queen."

Alice's eyes widened momentarily. Curiosity was burning in her throat. Perhaps endearment was the best was to lure this secret out of him. "_Dear_ Cheshire cat, won't you share? I would _really_ like to know. What is it about the Queen that you have to tell me?"

The cat just grinned and shook its head slowly; every move and word coming out as if in slow motion. "If I told you it wouldn't be a secret anymore, now would it? Besides, I could get into _big_ trouble with the Queen for sharing. _Big_ trouble," despite the implication of fear in his words, the cat appeared the least bit concerned toward the idea. If anything, he rather enjoyed it. He swooshed his tail playfully.

"Please," Alice now pleaded, growing impatient, "I really must know."

The Cheshire cat's head snapped up suddenly. Slowly but surely, an evil smile spread broadly across its face. He seemed distracted, as if it was hearing something that Alice's ears could not detect. He turned his attention back to Alice in lightening speed, a stark contrast to all his previous mannerisms.

"I would simply _love_ to stay and chat, but I really must be off. I believe I am wanted elsewhere."

Without anymore ceremony, the cat faded away till there was not even a grin left on the branch.

Alice stood there, gazing at the branch where the cat had been, unsure of what to do next.

Okay, so it was the real Cheshire cat; thankfully. And this real Cheshire cat had a secret for her. She knew he would confess it sooner or later. All his playful joking and foolishness was a show; he wouldn't be able to keep it up forever. She only hoped this confession would come sooner, rather than later.

It was getting dark; the stars already out before the moon was even visible. The air suddenly turned chilly as if on command, causing Alice's breath to turn to condensation every time it passed out of her lips. She looked about her, seeking refuge. The path ahead of her went deeper and deeper into the woods, whereas she could turn around and move back the way she came. But that, of course, would lead her only to the March Hare's house. She weighed her options.

"Lord, give me strength," she muttered to herself. She spun around on her heels and started treading back the way she came.

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"Well, look what the cat dragged in."

They were the Hatter's friendly first words when he spied her at the front gate, looking tired and uncomfortable. Her long blonde hair hung limp about her face, and the bottom of her skirts were damp and muddied, although Alice could not recall how they became that way.

"I suppose you're here to freshen up? Stay the night? Eat a nice, hot meal? Admit that you are an impostor?" The Hatter fired words at her, barely stopping for breath.

"What?" Alice asked, startled.

"Never mind," he muttered quickly, eyeing her rather sheepishly.

At this moment, the Hare came out of his house, armed with a tray of small assorted cakes. He spied Alice instantly, then the Hatter. His eyes darted between the two frantically till he asserted all was safe, and that no one was harmed. He grinned at the two of them, and then spoke directly to Alice:

"Nice evening, isn't it?"

Alice nodded, though amending in her head she would infinitely preferred it if she was spending it at home, by her warm fire.

"That's right. I always say the evenings here are the nicest. In fact, I am sure they are the nicest," the Hare looked up at the stars thoughtfully, unconsciously chewing the inside of his cheek.

"The evenings here are the Nice-iferest," the Hatter added contemplatively.

"Nice-splendiferous," the Hare countered.

"Nice-magnanimous-full."

"Nice-a-licious."

"Yes, yes," Alice cut in with a hasty smile, concerned for the probability of a full-fledged argument arising from this, "I think we all agree that it's nice."

The Hatter nodded wisely. "You know, even though you're not the real Alice and all, you are most certainly right about that." His face was perfectly straight.

The Hare glared daggers at him.

Alice turned to the Hare with shy courtesy.

"Uh, thank you for all this; I don't want to be any-"

The Hare held up one small paw. "None of that; say no more. You _must_ stay here," then he registered the Hatter's hard glance his way, "uh, that is until you have found somewhere more suitable. My place isn't that comfortable, but it does behave itself." He glanced once again at the Hatter.

"Thank you," Alice said, not sure how a house should behave. Oh well, she would soon find out.

She ignored the silent interchange between the Hare and the Hatter. _Best not to get involved_, she reminded herself.

That night, lying on top of the bed in the Hare's spare room, she watched the clock – that was oddly enough cemented onto the ceiling – tick round. She looked around her. The room was small, but neat, as was every room in the Hare's house. He had guided her in, and she was astounded to the number of rooms there were. Staircases, too – there were dozens of them, some, as the Hare confessed; either leading absolutely no where or leading somewhere he had no idea of. If she wasn't so tired, she may have got up and sneaked around to look about the house and all there was to see. But it wasn't manners that kept her away from the act – only pure exhaustion. Only a few more blinks and Alice was out, dreaming of home and her cats.

------------------------

The morning came quickly; just as the night. One moment Alice was enjoying the sleepy dark around her; the next blinding light was streaming through the window. She got up, dressed, and made her way out into the glare of the sun.

The Hatter, unsurprisingly, was already at the tea table. She wondered if he ever went home, or if he had his own home at all. The Hare was not in sight, so Alice made her way rather reluctantly to the other side of the table.

The Hatter barely looked up from his paper to acknowledge her presence.

"It's terrible," the Hatter said suddenly, after a long, awkward pause, "all these civilians going missing." He was obviously referring to the news he was reading, but Alice was so surprised to hear him speak civilly to her she almost missed her teacup as she tipped the teapot, the brown stream of liquid playing at the edges of her cup.

"What do you mean?" The shock still hadn't worn off completely.

The Hatter raised one eyebrow and said nothing. For some reason Alice thought it was more out of concern for her shocked state that he said nothing; to let her have time to collect herself. Silently he turned the paper around, so Alice was looking directly at the front page.

"The Cheshire cat? He's gone?" Alice stared at a rather lousy artist's impression of the cat. There was a scribble that seemed to represent an impish grin, and nothing more. Well, it was the thought that counted. "When?" Alice had seen him just the day before.

"Yesterday; just before nightfall," the Hatter flatly supplied the information.

Just before nightfall? Alice suddenly recalled the strange conversation she had had with the cat – just before nightfall. And now he was gone. The cat's words drifted back into Alice's head:

_I could get into big trouble with the Queen for sharing. Big trouble..._

And the way it's head had snapped up. What did that strange action indicate?

Was it possible that...

"What happened?" Alice quizzed the Hatter, desperate for more information.

The Hatter looked shocked. "How should I know? Are you implying _I_ did it? Or are you just trying to shift the blame on me so no one suspects you? You are responsible, aren't you?!" The Hatter slammed his two palms down on the surface of the table, making the tea in Alice's cup shake and slurp.

"How on earth can you say something like that?" Alice demanded, horrified.

"Easily; hasn't anyone explained to you the concept of language?"

Alice ignored him, although he was being perfectly serious. How stupid did he think she was? "What do you have against me, anyway? You don't even know me." Alice was surprised at how much of a relief it was to get the words out – they must have burdened her for some time.

The Hatter looked surprised; as if he had thought all-the-long his prejudice was well concealed. He seemed to be thinking through his answer, that is, until the Hare jumped out of the house quickly, running in between the argument.

"Okaaay," he cried garishly, his laughter somewhat forced and patchy, "this is good; this is nice. You guys are talking! How nice! Isn't it nice? Of course it's nice! Everything is okaaaaay," the Hare bounced from one foot to the other in between the arguing pair. It was like he was on speed mode. His words came out hurried and twisted.

"Who wants to go for a walk? I'd like to go for a walk! Walks are nice! How about we all just get along and go for a walk! Who wants to go for a walk? I want to go for a walk, anybody else? IwasjustsayingthatIthinkitwouldbeareallygoodideaifwewentforawalk**rightnow**!" The Hare drifted off into hyper-speed hysterics.

Alice wasted no time in agreeing; anything just to get the Hare to stop. His eyes were becoming slightly unfocused. Or perhaps they were becoming more focused. Either way, he didn't look good.

"Okay, okay," Alice put a firm hand down on the Hare's shoulder, stilling him slightly. The Hatter only rolled his eyes.

"Come on then – anything for bunny-ears," he muttered.

The two people and one slightly hyper-active Hare stumbled their way out of the front gate.


	6. Chapter 6: Impostors

**Yay! I have just finished all of my exams so to celebrate I have put up this new chapter! I'm still on a planning buzz, so I'm pleased how quickly this one came together. Thanks for the reviews that I have had – they keep my happy and writing. **

**P/S: sorry if this chapter is a little long; I'll try not to make it a habit, and sorry if the whole Alice/Hatter thing is taking a while, too. Well, all good things take time they say. It's all in the building process. :) **

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If you were to leave Wonderland this very moment, to reach up into the endless vicinity of the real world, up above the magics of Wonderland, back into the dusty and monotone, Alice's mother would be cradling her head in her hands dramatically, sitting reserved on a simple chair.

"Oh," she moaned, "where could she have gone? Why would she do this to me? Have I failed her as mother? I provided her with everything; clothing, food, shelter-"

"Love," her husband provided.

"Yes, yes," she cut him a hasty look, then resumed her cries with such melodrama the world's finest actors would be put to shame, "I gave her a fiancée, wait no – if she was here he could have been her husband by now! Oh, a husband – for Alice!" A dreamy expression crossed her features at this point, "why did she have to run off like this?"

The thought of Alice scampering about the country when she could be married and settled was almost too much for her mother to bare.

"Come now, Mary – you know that's not entirely true. I'm sure there is a good explanation for all of this!" Ever the optimist, he laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

At this Mary turned bitterly sarcastic. Her words spat with venom. "An explanation? The only explanation we have from _her_ is that bloody note!"

Her husband cast his eyes down mournfully at the crumpled piece of paper between his fingers he had found just a few moments earlier in Alice's bedroom. With no Alice in it. He opened it, and re-read the words that made his heart cry.

_Mother and Father:_

_Please do not try to find me, I am taking a break, and I need some time alone. I will not be returning; I need to start over fresh. Do not be alarmed; I will be perfectly fine. Do not try to find me._

_Alice_

"She didn't mention Arthur," Mary cried bitterly, "oh, I can't tell him she's gone. I must tell him she is sick, and can take no visitors, I could even tell him she's _dead_, it doesn't matter – no one must know she ran away. On no - what will the neighbors think?! "

Her husband, however, was considering other things, and didn't hear a word she said. "Isn't that funny-" he began, contemplatively.

"_Funny_?" She screeched.

"I mean odd," he corrected himself quickly, "odd that Alice did not mention him. Alice is not so cruel as to even leave him with no idea to her whereabouts, or whether she still intended for this marriage to work out – it is so unlike Alice."

"_Who cares!_" Mary was utterly exasperated, having no curiosity toward her daughter's normal behavior, let alone any change in it. "My baby is missing – what other conclusion is there to draw?"

He reached out and drew her towards him, letting his hand rest tenderly on her graying hair. "Shh," he soothed, "I will call the police directly. They will find her, I'm sure."

His wife only sniffed in reply.

Beyond the distraught mother and father, in the shadows of the darker parts, hid a stranger in Alice's room. Silent as a cat, they hurriedly cleaned up after themselves – replacing the pen on Alice's inkstand as if it had never been touched, and arranging the paper at the exact same angle as it was before. They moved noiselessly, their head darting up to every creak or groan in the wood work. Then, with a twirl of cloth and a collected departing glance, they vanished into nothing but particles hanging in the air.

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"Walkingissuchabeneficialexercisedon'tyouthink? Ithinkweshouldreallydoitmoreoften becausemydoctor saysthatit isso healthyif you are trying to lose weight."

The hare was still blabbering, but thanks to the steady walking pace and exercise, as the Hare said himself, the walking was beneficial. Slowly his words became comprehensible. Even the feverish glint in his eyes died down, turning them to a far less sinister brown.

"I agree," Alice managed to put out.

The Hatter said nothing, just sighed heavily and shook his head, making the infamous hat slide down to his nose. Irritated, he pushed it back up.

It slid down.

He pushed it up.

It slid back down.

He pushed it up.

It slid right back down again.

Then, he lost it. With one swift, passionate move he threw the hat off his head and sent it sailing into one of the nearby trees. It caught itself on a high branch, teasing it's owner as it swung daintily.

"DAMN IT!" He cried, one eye bulging dangerously.

"We'll get it down," Alice encouraged. His attachment to his hat was beyond Alice, but the half-crazed look that had taken over his face was enough to make Alice want to get it down, and quickly.

"Don't _you_ start!" The Hatter turned on Alice with a venomous glare.

"Now, Hatter," the Hare warned him. Inconspicuously he bared his tiny two front teeth; it was a warning the Hatter knew of only too well. Now, it was just a warning. Next time, it would be a bite. Lord help him if the bunny bit.

Despite all his previous terrible encounters with those tiny teeth, the Hatter ignored him.

"_You_," he said, turning to Alice with his finger pointed gleefully, "are an impostor!"

Alice looked dubious. "I'm an impostor? How ever did I manage that?"

"Don't play tricky with me – it hurts my head. I know you're not the real Alice so you might as well confess now so no one gets hurt!"

The Hare shook his head, embarrassed. Wherever the Hatter was going with this, he could no longer stop him.

"You are absolutely ridiculous!" Alice was shocked. Was _this_ what he had against her – the fact that she wasn't...her? It all seemed so terribly stupid now.

"I'm being ridiculous? _I'm _being ridiculous? _You're_ the one being ridiculous!"

"Are you mad?"

"Yes."

"Stop it," the Hare cried, unable to help himself. He gave the Hatter an exasperated look. "What is wrong with you?"

"She is an impostor!" the Hatter stated again. He was absolutely certain.

If all this debate wasn't centered around Alice herself, she would have been slightly impressed at the way the Hatter stuck to his guns. But unfortunately, all this _was_ centered around her; so unfortunately she wasn't impressed.

"_She_ is Alice! She_ is_!" The Hare tried to get it into the Hatter's head.

"I _am_ Alice," Alice reinforced.

"If _she_ is Alice, then would you mind telling me who _that_ is?" the Hatter smiled triumphantly as he pointed out beyond the path and into a clear patch of the woods.

The Hare and Alice's eyes followed the direction of his finger and gazed out. Alice let out something what sounded like a choke. There, standing in a small clearing surrounded by a dense layering of trees and ferns was a little girl.

With blonde hair.

And Blue eyes.

"It's – It's...." The Hare stumbled over the words, unable to believe his eyes.

"It's me," Alice murmured softly, unable to tear her eyes away from the small girl that was herself at the age of seven. The girl stood, completely unaware of their presence, although they stood only a few meters away. She was turned away from them only slightly, so they could see a perfect side-on view of her. Amazingly, she was standing completely still. She didn't move an inch.

The Hatter was cheerful. "Told you, didn't I?"

The Hare was still at a loss for words. "How – how, how is that...that...possible?"

"Everything is possible," the Hatter exclaimed, his mood still radiant.

"You mean, you had seen this little girl before, and had never told me?"

The Hatter frowned at the Hare. "Just once – very briefly. When she saw me watching she ran off."

"Curiouser and curiouser," the Hare mumbled, casting another wary-eyed glance at the small blonde among the bushes.

Alice, however, had not heard a word of this interchange. All she could do was watch this girl intently, watch for any sign of life. Once, Alice swore she saw the girl's head swivel slightly in their direction, as if hearing the conversation being passed between the two men. For that split second, their eyes had met. And Alice saw deep into her own clear, round blue eyes; a mirror image. The girl's eyes were not alarmed at seeing Alice, but calm and collected, as if expecting the sight of her eighteen-year-old self. Then her eyes turned back, unconcerned. Alice let a gasp escape her lips.

"What?" the Hare and the Hatter said at once, casting concerned eyes down at Alice, who looked ashen.

"She-she knows we're here."

"She hasn't run off?" The Hatter asked, surprised. His head darted up, to check for himself.

"No, no – she looked calm."

"Calm?" The Hare raised one furry eyebrow skeptically.

"Look!" Alice pointed toward the woods, where the thick foliage surrounded her younger self.

Just beyond where the little girl stood, was a rustling in the ferns. A deep growl came from deep within it, and fur showed at the tops of the green.

There was a gasp, but it didn't come from the little girl, or the creature in the bushes.

Slowly but surely, the ferns began to shake, and to Alice's astonishment so did another bush on the opposite side of the girl. There were two now? Alice quivered.

A growl made the three walkers look up, and there, perched in the top of the tree was one of the Queen's cats. Emerging from the bushes came another two. The two surrounded the girl hungrily. The girl did nothing, only stood there. She looked straight forward, acting as if they were not there. It was if she thought of them as regular house, ready to play nice as soon as she produced a ball of yarn. That is, regular house cats the size of an Ox, with muscled that could tear down forests.

"We have to do something," Alice whispered to no one in particular. Desperation flooded her voice, "we've got to save her. Those-those things – they'll crush her!"

The Hatter silenced Alice, pressing one finger hard against her lips. "Are you kidding? Do you want to get us killed too?" He whispered back hastily. He threw a glance toward the predators, and thankfully, they had not heard Alice's outcry. The fear in his eyes was tangible.

"Go," a voice commanded.

"Who was that?" the Hare whispered, unmoving so as not to draw the cat's attention. His eyes moved quizzically to Alice, though she had not said any more.

"_Go_," the voice commanded again. Alice, the Hatter and the Hare looked up, startled. The girl's lips had moved, but the voice did not belong to that of a seven-year-old. It was mature, old even. The pain, age and wear-and-tear were seeping through it. It was not Alice's voice.

"I'm fine," it insisted, "you must go."

One of the cats stopped its circling, hearing the girl speak. The girl looked it straight in the eye. The cat in the tree jumped down in one lightening quick move, landing on it's two front paws. It's mask bent close to the girl's face. It's voice was monotone, but there was just a hint of sick curiosity in it.

"Did you say something?"

This time the girl put on a high, whiny voice; the voice of a seven year old. Seven year old or not, the voice still did not belong to Alice; young or old. "I said don't eat me."

The cats purred in pleasure, one even rubbing it's back against the girl's knees.

"Oh, we won't," the head cat purred exotically, "we do not claim you for ourselves."

With that, the girl disappeared as three cat-like-monsters caved over her, moans of victory and excitement fleeting from their throats.

Alice was being tugged by the back of her collar.

"We need to go Alice, _now_. If they catch our scent..."

"No," she mumbled, unable to cast her eyes away from the predators capturing their prey.

"_Now_ Alice." The Hatter's voice was firm. At that moment, one of the cats looked up, it's head turning stealthily in their direction.

"Run!" Alice feet scrambled after the Hatter's clumsy shoes and the Hare's furry feet. They ran without stopping, without checking to see if they were being pursued. The trees blurred in Alice's vision, her only though to keep up with the bright orange coat fleeing in front of her. She could not determine for how long they had been running; it felt like days. Miraculously, the Hare's home appeared in front of them, and they bolted for the door, panting and sweating.

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With the girl in the sack, alive but unconscious, the creatures began to relax. They muscled stopped flexing and they're masks released a little against their face.

"Her majesty will be pleased," stated Two officially.

"Yes," agreed Three. No emotions leaked through their mask. They were monsters; nothing else.

"What's that?" Number One edged closer on all fours to a nearby tree. With one elegant movement it pounced up the tree like a leopard, making a show of it's immeasurable strength as it clung to the vertical bark. Muscles popped out of it's shoulder blades, a menacing sight to anyone but it's companions and master. Up on a high branch, it slowly crept to the outer, thinner branches. The tree creaked under the weight. With another swift movement, One produced it's claw and swiped a humongous, orange top hat from one of the finer branches. It landed on the ground with a heavy thud, soon followed by an earth-rattling landing from Number One.

Number two edged closer and sniffed the hat.

"The Mad Hatter," it related. It's voice held the indifferent edge that was so common among them.

"We must inform the Queen of this too, then," One decided, thinking for the pack.

"Let's go," Three launched the small sack onto it's back with the girl inside. Together, the three creature stalked down the path, as if they were returning with the kill at the end of the day.

-----------------------------------------------------------

"Can _someone_ please explain to me what is going on?" Alice was standing in the small corridor of the Hare's home, her breath caught enough to allow her to speak. The Hatter leaned against the wall on the opposite side, face red and flushed, while the Hare had collapsed on the floor in a heap.

"No, someone explain to _me_ what is going on," the Hatter countered, equally frustrated. He reached up to secure his hat, only to find it wasn't there. He let out a groan.

"What?" The Hare asked, opening his eyes for the first time.

"My hat. It's still in that damn tree."

"We are _not_ going back there," Alice put in firmly.

The Hatter whimpered, but agreed readily. He was more frightened of those things than he would have liked to let on.

"Okay," Alice began, twisting her fingers like she did whenever she had to think things through slowly, "so there was a younger me in the woods out there," she turned to the Hatter directly now, "a _younger_ me – that still means I am myself, okay?"

The Hatter nodded grudgingly, hating to admit he was wrong. The Hare grinned, enjoying it all.

"And that younger me was pretty darn accurate, by the way of looks," Alice began again slowly, thinking it through as she went along.

"But," the Hare supplied for her, "she did not sound like you. I'm thinking it wasn't you at all. I think it was someone pretending to be you."

Alice nodded, agreeing. "But why would someone do that? I mean, their was those-"

Alice stopped abruptly, realizing something the Hare had figured all the long. She spoke now with realization, and awe made her voice sound sweeter.

"Those cats, they were after me. Any me would do – even if it was a younger version. What should it matter if I had grown younger in Wonderland? I mean, look at you," Alice nodded toward the Hatter who shrugged slightly, "so whoever it was was putting themselves in my place to.....protect me?"

The Hatter nodded. "Who though, would do that? It would have to be someone with that sort of power to make themselves exactly like you. Or someone with a really good costume style and make-up kit. Hey, you know those actors with the really big wardrobes down at..."

"Er-okay, I'm thinking you were on the right track with the first option," the Hare cut in hastily, "although," he turned thoughtful now, "those actor people _are_ really nice, I bet they would do something like that for a stranger..."

"Turn themselves into the hand of the Queen?" Alice asked, skeptical. From what her own problems were telling her, she guessed that the Queen was not a woman you wanted to mess with.

"Who would have the _nerve_?" The Hatter mused to himself, excited by the prospect of a new mystery, seeing that his impostor theories ended in a heap.

"We'll have to start looking," Alice said, a little concerned. Who knew where this would lead her? The ring on her finger felt heavier every passing day, and not in a good way. How long would she be down here? Well, first thing first.

"That's a pretty ring. Where did you get it?" The Hatter looked down at the stone Alice was nervously playing with. She looked up, startled by the small observation.

"Uh-it's nothing; a gift. Kind of old, actually."

A strange impulse filled her, and before she knew it she had taken it off and slid it into her side pocket. The feeling of her bare finger was amazing; it felt free, if fingers could feel that way.

And just like that, she forgot about the small diamond in her pocket.


	7. Chapter 7: A Letter

"Mail!"

The Hatter looked over to his dearest friend, who was calling out and waving his furry paws above his head, standing at the front gate. Just the outline of his bizarre shape suggested chaos. The Hatter sighed.

"_She_ is female, _not_ male." After all the fuss the Hare had made on the subject, the Hatter couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"No, I mean we have mail!"

"We _are_ male, my dear friend. We are not in possession of our manliness; it is our being."

The Hare was slightly distracted by this comment and snorted superiorly. "_Your_ manliness? My dear fellow, the two words do not exist in the same sentence," he chuckled at the Hatter's venomous glare, "no, I was speaking of our attainment of a letter."

"Why didn't you just say so?" The Hatter's voice was irritated, but his eyes shone with excitement. It was a rare thing; for him to receive a letter. When the rare occasion did come, though, it usually consisted of a parking fine (he had the awful habit of leaving his teapots in public parking, then forgetting about them) or a riddle from the dormouse (which was exceptionally rare, considering the poor critter had been eaten weeks ago by the Queen's cats). He considered these possibilities, then prayed it was a riddle. His thoughts drifted: _Why is a raven like a writing desk..._

The Hare threw the small envelope at the Hatter, his clumsy throw meeting an even clumsier catch, as the Hatter dived to save the letter from the cream puffs on the tea party table. He licked off the cream.

"I love letters," he stated simply, cream smudged on the edges of his mouth.

The Hare raised an eyebrow; an increasingly common characteristic. "I can see that."

The envelope was opened with a butter knife; revealing an impressive note sealed with the Queen's personal stamp of red wax. The Hatter looked up at his friend, concerned.

"This doesn't look good."

"Just read it."

The Hatter obeyed. His eyes darted down to the beautifully written note, and read the words aloud:

_Her Majesty the Queen of Hearts requests an audience with the_

_Mad Hatter_

_on the subject of a large, misplaced hat._

_Note: It is court order that all invited for an interview with her Majesty are expected to be punctual, presentable and behaved, or due punishment will be performed._

_Thank you._

-----------------------

Alice looked over the note laid out courteously in front of her, reviewing it with a skeptic air. She sat at the head of the table, as always, but now the table seemed to be located within the house, in a dark, empty room. _We don't want to be watched_, the Hare had explained to her mysteriously as he and the Hatter had escorted her inside the house. The two madmen watched her, their expressions torn between anxiety and curiosity as they waited for her to speak. The note had numerous tea-stains, the circles overlapping each other and dotting the paper, as if it had been examined and re-examined constantly. Alice finally looked up, meeting their gazes.

"You must go, obviously," Alice addressed the Hatter, who just nodded solemnly. He had known that, and didn't need some blonde non-impostor to point that out for him. "The question is whether I go with you."

"Oh, okay," the Hare cut in in a dead-pan voice, "would you like your funeral with or without flowers?"

Alice sighed impatiently. "Look, I've got to see this woman. Either way, by going there, I'll get what's coming to me one way or another. Better get it done sooner than later, besides, who's to say it's suicide? It could all easily be one big misunderstanding."

The two friends just looked at her.

"Unlikely, I know," she said defensively, "but it's worth a shot," she looked directly at the Hatter now, noting the way he looked slightly uncomfortable whenever it happened, "I'm coming with you."

"I'm going this afternoon."

The Hare shook his head, still persistent. "You sure you want to die? And so young? And this afternoon, no less!"

Alice rolled her eyes affectionately. "I'll be fine."

"She'll be fine," the Hatter backed her up.

"You'll be fine," the Hare agreed, who seemed momentarily brainwashed by all their assuring. Alice and the Hatter looked at him, concerned.

"If you say so," the Hatter shrugged, disregarding his friend's strange ways. It's not like sudden outbursts of insanity didn't come from him. He now turned to Alice, a new thought in his mishapped mind. "They won't be expecting you there, you know. You may not be even able to get past the front gate."

"They don't have a gate," the Hare corrected him.

"My point is illustrated, anyway."

Alice disagreed though, her thoughts turning glum. "No, they want me there. They're expecting me." She sighed heavily.

She received a warm smile from the Hare, who was undoubtedly concerned with Alice's wellbeing. He knew the best place for her was back in the real world – her life was too endangered down here, this place that had turned from a mystifying escape to a prison under the stern rule of a tyrant. It was getting Alice back, and how, that was the problem.

So Alice and the Hatter set off a little while later, combing their way toward the general direction of the palace, as neither had any idea of where it was. They were too nervous, and the Hatter too uncomfortable to keep up any form of conversation, so they just pushed on quietly, lost in their own thoughts.

Just as Alice began to suspect they were lost, their destination was seen in the distance. Alice had been expected a beautiful, pearl white castle. Or even a dark, enchanted hideaway to house someone as powerful and as secretive as the Queen. Instead, they had stumble upon an average, yet humongous house. It could have held hundreds of rooms inside of it, and the only thing to make it attractive was the wide, green lawn that surrounded it, spotted with flowers and strangely shaped hedges. And there were roses, of course. Hundreds of roses.

-------------------------

Alice and the Mad Hatter waited anxiously in the main hall. Tapestries and wide windows surrounded them, making Alice feel claustrophobic, although the hall was grand and spacious. The floor had been laid with expensive looking carpets – hundreds of them overlapping in luxury, but ones footsteps still could be heard clearly, tapping away lightly. The design seemed Middle Eastern – everything richly provided and in abundance, even the windows were framed by lace-like gold, covered with heavy satin fabric. Nothing matched, but everything in the room brought strength and elegance. Most of all, it was intimidating.

They counted their breaths to keep track of time. It seemed inappropriate to move, so all they did was stand ram-rod straight – never slackening – and stared nervously at the two grand doors on the opposite side of the room. Several times Alice could have sworn she saw the handle twitch, but perhaps her imagination was driving her literally insane. The Hatter saw it too, but he, of course, was already far past insane.

Then, finally, as if an answer to their prayers and worst fears, the doors were pushed open with authority, and Alice did not need to look up to know it was her. Her presence was almost palatable.

Dressed in nothing short than the magnificent and eccentric, she glided toward them, first a small figure you could pinch between your fingers, till she grew into a full-bodied woman as she came closer. Her beetroot purple and bloody red robes trailed behind her as she seemed to float over the floor, hovering inches above the rich carpets. Her burgundy locks were combed up onto the top of her head severely, pinned down by strings of pearls that seemed far too pretty for her stern, vehement, yet overall handsome face. Layer upon layer of cloth draped over her every which-way, making her skirts pool around her feet like the end layer of mist at a waterfall. Authority and severity followed her around like an aura, and even the smallest hint of blood-thirsty insanity was buried deep behind her black irises.

She was not alone, either. Four men trailed on either side of her, their faces and figures distorted by the thick, gray cloaks that covered them entirely. As they moved closer, out of the shadows, Alice saw their faces, too, had been stitched over by the nauseating masks that were permanently attached to their skin. These eight cloaked figures followed their leader in a 'V' formation, the party stretching out as the more emerged through the double doors. Behind her immediate protectors, was something Alice had not planned on, let alone expected. Past the four men on the either side of her, were another four men, split into two – two on each side. Their cloaks were black, but beneath their layers was the obvious presence of hard muscle. The men were huge. Even with the heavy clothing, and the masks, it was obvious they were the strongest. And Alice saw why. These guards clutched onto their own thick, leather rope – a leash that twister and groaned from the strain that was being pulled at the other end. On that other end, were the cats.

They hissed furiously at the sight of Alice and the Hatter, their claws springing forward, their positions braced for an attack. Their teeth glittered in the light the wide windows poured into the room. The men flexed their muscles and pulled back, breaking out into an ocean of sweat, trying to restrain the wild animals. They tried to shout words of calm at them, tried to let the lead slacken, all in vain. Then she whispered something to the animals, and they fell obedient, forgetting their prey in an instant. One of the cats made it's way over to the her, rubbing itself against her robes as she walked, purring affectionately. At her command, they had turned from ravenous beasts to playful house-cats.

Then, after what seemed an age, she came and stood face-to-face with Alice and the Hatter, a small smirk playing on her unnaturally red lips, eyeing them both with the up-most satisfaction.

"Your majesty," Alice mumbled, then blushed a little at the child-like quality in her voice. She had promised herself she would be confident, undaunted no matter who or what this woman was. Alice felt all her confidence drain from her at the sight of this woman. She guessed as it drained, it must have been absorbed by the Queen, whose smirk grew more pronounced as her victims shrunk before her.

"I already have the pleasure of knowing the Mad Hatter, but you, must be _Alice_. It is a pleasure to _finally_ meet you, _Alice_," the silken voice replied. Alice now realized the note was never once intended for the Hatter, it was just a way to secure Alice coming to the palace, as the Queen never looked at the Hatter once. Her eyes were fixed on Alice. Butterflies fluttered wildly in her stomach.

Alice was not sure how to respond to this, she was stumped, yet at the same time puzzled. Had they not met before? It seemed odd a woman so obsessed with her should forget their prior acquaintance. Alice's indecision seemed to amuse the woman in front of her even more. "I must inform you though, of something that may disappoint you," her red lips pulled out further into her cheeks.

Alice darted a quick look at the Hatter next to her, who seemed unsurprised by the odd statement. He kept his eyes on the floor, shaking his head and sighing ever so slightly. He caught Alice's eye, then looked down at the floor quickly again, an almost guilty expression crossing his face.

_Okay_, Alice thought to herself irritably, _so I'm the only one that is going to be informed on something they don't know. Thanks._

The woman looked down at Alice with a pitiful expression, which angered and ashamed Alice at the same time. When she spoke, the words were soft and patient; like she was explaining something to a small child. The words seemed ironically obvious, though.

"I am not the Queen."

Alice looked up, startled, feeling ludicrous to have been speaking to this woman as if she were the ruler. Alice's eyes roamed over the woman's regal face, her expensive robes, to even the small gold tiara that sat amongst her curls. The guards expressions – if they were visible – were unchanging as Alice stared at them too, in confusion.

"I am," Alice paused, searching for the right word, "confused." Yes, that was right; she was confused. Now came the difficult part; elaboration. "I had assumed from, well – er, your attire, and your security...You seem like the Queen." Alice blushed wildly.

The woman pondered this, acting as if she were taking the conversation seriously, all the while a menacing smile on her lips. "That could be a compliment, I suppose. And in a way, you are right. It _is_ my job to look like the Queen. I get paid for it."

"Oh, I see," Alice said, not quite seeing at all.

"To be a Queen; so unique, so independent; literally one of a kind, comes at a price. To protect her monarchy from possible life-endangering situations, the Queen has a double. This woman before you, is the double," the Hatter's clear voice was unnaturally muted, a softness in his voice that was unnerving. He seemed to be ashamed of already having this knowledge, and not sharing it with Alice, but Alice just couldn't see the big deal.

"But surely you don't think us to be a danger to the Queen," Alice now addressed the double. How ironic it was; that they perhaps supposed that she was a danger to the Queen, when quite literally it was the other way around. "Why do we see you then, and not her Majesty? We need to see the Queen. The _real_ Queen."

The double looked down at Alice with sad eyes, her compassionate black irises contrasting with the faintest hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth, "I'm afraid that is impossible."

"What?" Impossible to see the Queen? It was maddening to have come all this way, gone through all the emotional trauma, just to learn the visiting hours were up. Alice continued to stare at the woman in disbelief, "how on earth can it be impossible?"

"No one has seen the Queen in person for the last five years," the woman told her.

Alice blinked. "What?"

The woman-double sighed, repeating herself, "no one has seen the Queen for the last five years. Not you, not me; not anybody."

"How is that possible? Do you mean to tell me that no one – absolutely no one – has seen the Queen for that long? No servants have seen her? No family, no friends, no civilians, not even you? For five _years_? Where is she? How do you know she is still alive? Are you sure she isn't _dead_? How is that even possible?" The questions couldn't seem to stop from rushing out between Alice's lips. She felt betrayed, tricked, left out in the cold by this woman who wanted her gone. Could that even make sense?

"She is quite alive, Alice," the woman said, only bothering to answer one of Alice's last questions; she dismissed the others with a regal flick of the hand, "we hear from her every now and again, and we receive letters that are completely authentic. It is only that no one has seen her."

It still seemed highly unlikely to Alice, who was of a stubborn, questioning nature. _How hard is it to knock someone's door down and see them_, Alice thought critically, _how do you manage to lose a Queen?_

"Can't you just force your way up into the tower or wherever it is she is hiding and check that she is alive?" Alice addressed the woman.

Alice's question was met with a bleak laugh from the double, whose bark-like humour was short and ridiculing. "We have no idea where she is, Alice. If we did, don't you think we would have found her already?"

"Why would she want to hide herself in the first place?" Alice mused, addressing no one in particular but herself.

At this airy, passing query the woman's features turned cold. In one reflex action, her face stiffened and her posture struggled to hide some flaring emotion; was it, possibly....rage? And then the second passed, and it was all over. She collected herself, the change of aura had been subtle to Alice, and was completely missed by the Hatter. Alice felt increasingly uncomfortable – there was something about this woman that unsettled her.

"Oh," the woman smiled nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened, "I almost forgot," the woman turned to the Hatter with a sheepish grin, "this is yours."

Out of what seemed nowhere, she pulled out the Hatter's hat, and handed the prized possession back to the rightful owner. Alice watched on at the exchange, mystified.

She had never quite noticed before; the looks of the Hatter. She tried to think of why that may have been – perhaps she had to know a little about him first, or perhaps she had just paid no mind to it. Now, as he accepted the ridiculous looking hat, she was forced to inspect his appearance. It could not be said he was handsome, or even good-looking, because it was not true. To say he was ugly would be another lie. His features were caught in the middle between the two extremes; being extremely standard and nondescript. He was bland in features, true; his nose, his eyes, his mouth – it was all regular, nothing extraordinary. But his snow-white hair, and expressions filled him with life and colour. What he lacked he made up for; mannerisms and quirks creating a lively character that withstood the time and age of beauty. Even as he accepted his hat back now; the joy filling his eyes gave them a bright sparkle, and his expression of absurd delight gave him a handsomeness that had not been there before. Alice watched on, puzzled at this new small, but sweet revelation.

Alice came back to reality just in time to hear the end on the Hatter's sentence.

"...but we will come back another time. I'm sure we still have many questions," he cast a meaningful glance down at Alice, who was, once again, confused. "But we will come again."

The woman smiled at this, a smile that Alice still thought was not quite right. "I'm counting on that," she now nodded to the two of them in dismissal, "Hatter.....Alice."

The two were escorted out of the room by two of the guards, stumbling slightly over the eccentric carpets. They moved through a narrower corridor, with glass panels providing a view into the surrounding rooms. The guards followed behind them, though not being pushy. They trailed a good deal behind. As Alice was looking into the glimpses of the surrounding rooms, she stopped short at one, her face turning pale.

"What – what's that?" She asked, her voice quivering.

The Hatter came back to her, and leaned in to get a better look through the thick glass.

"That is an _excellent_ question," he responded airily.

Before them, in a small, dark room, a creature was bound down with a sea of heavy chains, it's back hunched forward, and it's head tucked in between the knees. It bared a strong resemblance to the Queen's cats, but at the same time did not. Hidden under the muscles that seemed to be literally growing slowly over it's body like a disease, was the physique of a man. As they watched the miserable creature, it changed. A small shift in it's appearance was subtle, as it looked more animalistic than it had a mere second ago. It groaned out at this small change in pain – the voice still clearly a mans.

"What _is_ it? What's happening to it?" Alice asked the Hatter at first, then realizing he hadn't the faintest idea, she turned to face the covered faces of the guards.

At first they seemed reluctant to speak, as if wondering whether they were aloud to. They hastily checked around them – the quick, undecided movement being the first independent action they had done – and asserted that the Queen double was truly gone.

They spoke, their muted voices dull yet secretive.

"That is the effect of the disease taking control. Once a man, who had opposed her majesty's rule, she ordered for his execution to be that of fully exposing him to her disease. Now you see what it has done to him; to all of them. Whoever is fully exposed transforms into the beasts that belong to the Queen; that is, the Queen's cats."

"This disease she is using is also creating her army?" Alice looked back at the transforming man in horror.

"It is a long process, ma'am. This man here was brought in this morning, and after being in the disease chamber, he was brought to this heavily guarded room, for his transformation to take place. As you see, he is not yet completed the transformation," the guard told her.

"Does he know what's happening to him?" The Hatter asked.

In response to this, though not having heard a word, the chained man-cat looked up at them slowly, his eyes full of sorrow and disgust. A snarl ripped through his teeth. Alice jumped back from the window.

"Yes; he is perfectly aware. Only in the final stage on the transformation will he adapt the blind obedience of the cat. Till then, he must live with the new life approaching him."

"That's terrible," Alice managed to choke out.

"If you do not like the sound of it, ma'am, I suggest you try your best to be in the Queen's good grace. For Wonderland, there is no other punishment but to be exposed to the disease. Very few know of the actual consequences of the act, though," the guard told her dryly.

There was the sound of approaching footsteps, as a new set of guards came to guard the cell. They gave Alice, the Hatter and their companions a sharp nod, and Alice and the Hatter continued to walk down the corridor quickly. As they approached the final exit, where another two masked guards holding leashes to two of the Queen's cats patrolled, Alice turned to the Hatter.

"It explains, at least, the masks. If the Queen has such a temper to expose anybody, she must protect her own regiment from the disease, so she doesn't end up killing her whole palace off," Alice told him.

The Hatter looked down at Alice. "And you just figured that out?"

She snorted at him, irritated at their inability to get along.

They passed through the final doors, which were the biggest and most extravagant Alice had ever seen, and out into the open air. Just as the guards were about to close the doors behind them Alice heard a faint growling from one of the cats.

"Steady, Cheshire," the guard warned it.

Alice felt like she was going to be ill.


	8. Chapter 8: Find Yourself

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for your kind reviews! They keep me going so please keep doin' what your doin'!!! And sorry for any Cheshire cat fans, obviously he won't be back in the story for a while....for now. But there is still hope!!!!!!**

**Oh yeah, probably a good time for a disclaimer. Okay, here it goes:**

**Disclaimer: NOT MINE.**

**Sweeeet.**

**On with the story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

The Hatter was beginning to get on Alice's nerves.

This shouldn't at all be surprising, but as of late he seemed to acquire the miraculous ability to make Alice wish she could hit her head repeatedly against a red brick wall. At this moment, she was wishing for the wall again.

"Alice, are you sure you're okay?"

For anyone that has ever been asked such a question, anyone who has been in that situation where there is nothing the matter, and yet you have someone insisting that there must be; you can sympathize with Alice, who only gritted her teeth in response.

There was another concerned side-ways glance from the Hatter.

"Really," Alice held up one finger to stop him as they walked along, eager to cut in before he could ask yet again, "I truly am fine." She was tired; far too tired for this. All she wanted was for him to stop.

"I'm not so sure, Alice," he sighed, shaking his head with such vigor it sent his hat sliding down to the tip of his nose, "What we saw in there wasn't pretty. I wouldn't blame you if you were shaken; there's no disgrace in admitting it."

Alice flushed red, her notorious temper flaring for a small instant at such a suggestion. Though it was kindly meant, Alice was sick of hearing herself described as caring about dignity or grace. She had heard enough of it from her mother already, and now the one place she thought she could escape and hide away from it, was labeling her the exact same.

"Trust me – if I truly was preoccupied with maintaining my dignity I wouldn't be having this conversation with you. In fact, I'm sure I would be avoiding you all together," as soon as the hasty words passed through her lips she regretted them. She could see the Hatter look down slightly, blush coloring his cheeks as he tried to look indifferent. Now she truly did want to hit her head against a brick wall; hard.

"I'm sorry – please, please believe me when I say that I didn't mean that," she stuttered, still drowning in shame that the Hatter's quietened posture and talk was fueling her.

He shrugged and looked up, a sense of relief washed over Alice at being able to see his face again.

"I'm fine," he said nonchalantly, a forced half-smile coming over his lips at his use of her own assurances.

She smiled back at him timidly. He was the first to turn away and keep walking. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry if I pulled you away from that place too soon for your liking – but I barely trust that woman," he said unexpectedly, no doubt anxious to change the topic.

Alice kept a steady pace next to him, though she burrowed her forehead in confusion. "Which woman?"

"The one you thought was the Queen," he said smiling. He obviously thought it was a great joke, one that he would file away to related to the Hare someday over some tea. How he would laugh!

"Oh, her," Alice chastised herself inwardly for being so ignorant. Truth be told, though, it was hard keeping up with a madman whose moods and conversations jumped so irregularly and quickly. Alice found herself dazed whenever she was with him, wandering after him as he jumped ahead at speeds she wouldn't even dare to keep up with. It made her feel stupid, a level she hadn't expected to feel when she was in company with someone who was deemed legally insane.

"Why don't you trust her?" Alice asked him after a while, eager to escape her own thoughts.

A dark shadow lowered over the Hatter's eyes, and when he spoke, the words were unusually harsh. Once again the abrupt change in mood left Alice wondering what she had done wrong.

"I have good reason to distrust her," his voice simmered like fire.

Alice was taken aback. This dark, almost revengeful tone was a stark contrast to the usual playful, childish and light-headed Hatter she knew. She wondered if _this_ murderous side of him was what plagued his sanity, instead of the previously thought childish antics and obsessions of his. All of a sudden, she grew anxious to know if she was truly safe, she realized how alone with him in the woods she was.

"And why is that?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He leaned closer, his warm breath tangled the loose strands of her hair. He looked about him mysteriously, preparing himself to confide an epiphany. Their eyes locked like predator and prey, and he felt compelled to tell her, now that there was no turning back.

"She broke one of my teapot sets once."

Alice stared at him, as if he had left his sentence incomplete. As he leaned away again, it slowly sank in to her. He wasn't serious was he?

"And...thats it?" She asked hesitantly.

The Hatter completely exploded. "What do you mean _Is that it_? That is enough! Can you even imagine how much I cherished that teapot? CAN YOU EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE?!?"

Alice flinched, her mind darting to find some way to control the situation. Unfortunately, fatigue had settled into her after such a long, eventful day, so all she could muster up had a certain lack of creativity.

"I'm sorry," she said, past exhaustion.

"It seems to be the order of the day," he replied bitterly, then regretted it. He looked over at the girl barely walking next to him, with her shoulders slumped under the heavy weight of pressing sleep. She looked tired; more than tired. She looked as if she would pass out at any moment. He felt guilty. He felt guilty over so many things. All this confusion; all this bitterness and hatred that had been simmering down in Wonderland had been deposited onto this girl who could barely stand up straight. She was too fragile to bare it on her own delicate shoulders; she was too good for the heavy burden. She deserved better than this.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

-----------------------

"It's a minor set back, I'll admit it," the Hare consoled Alice as she sat at the table.

"A set back? The Queen decides to go missing, and you call that a _minor set back_?" Alice refused to be consoled; this situation she had entangled herself in was becoming more and more impossible with each passing moment, and nothing the Hare or the Hatter would say could convince her otherwise.

"You make too much of a big deal out of it. She'll be back, in good time," the Hare tried again.

"Don't you see? Time is of the essence here. I don't have the time to wait outside her castle, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for her to show up. I wanted this sorted out as soon as possible so I can get out of here for good. Now with her utterly unidentifiable, we have nothing to chase but a figure. I have no leads, no witnesses, and no patience!"

"Time, time, time," the Hatter snarled into his teacup. "Do you think of anything else?"

Alice shot him a heated look. "It's not my fault I have a life waiting for me to come back to."

The Hatter snorted. "Some life it must have been, too. It was so wonderful you had to run away from it back to Wonderland. I am utterly jealous."

Alice cringed slightly as he found a weak spot in her armor. She composed herself quickly, though, eager to rebuild on any wounded pride. "I'm not surprised to hear that. You must be entirely jealous of my life, all you do is sit around, drink tea, and make hats."

"I do not," the Hare cried.

"No, no, no – not you, dear Hare. You are very efficient, I know," Alice rushed. She had barely any friends here, she could not afford to sway from the Hare's good graces.

The Hatter glared at her from across the table. He felt pure anger simmer in his belly for this girl. No, not for the girl, but for the pride the world he loathed instilled in her. He saw it in his mind; he saw all she could be. She could be a heroine, a victor, a woman. But all that world had given her was false pride and values, and it hindered her and her future. He hated to see it cripple her slowly.

"How _honored_ we are then, Miss Alice, to be graced with your time and attention," his tongue dripped with sarcasm and anger, "we know we do not deserve any of it, so how kind you are to come to us, and help us in _our_ time of need."  
He laughed unexpectedly, mirth lighting his eyes, or perhaps it was tears, "Ha! How different you must have felt, how separated you must have been up there. You hated it didn't you? You always did. The persona, the pride, the money, the vanity – you thought you saw through it, you thought you rose above it. How special you must be, Alice. So you came here, to escape. You came here thinking here would be the one place you would fit in. Here you would be home, besides, home is where the heart is, isn't it? Here, of all places, we would expect you to be free from the suffocation of the world you come from. Instead, you show up here as a mascot to all that you left behind. You waltz in with your pride, your dignity, your honor, your vanity and your family name. You are a hypocrite, Alice. We thought you were special, Alice, but now, seeing you again, you have not withstood the tests of time like we thought you would have. You are no longer special, Alice. You. are . just . like . them."

At this the Hatter thrust his chair out from under the table, and stalked out of the room, slamming doors as he went. He continued to mutter under his breath as he left.

Alice and the Hare stared after him, then continued to stare at the door he had slammed behind him. Minutes past, and the kettle whistled, but neither of them had their appetite any more. More time passed.

"My dear Alice, don't cry."

It wasn't until the Hare softly spoke these words to her, that Alice felt the silent warm flow of salty water gliding down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them away, embarrassed. She tried to dismiss the Hatter's criticisms with a shaky laugh, something she had often seen other young woman do.

"It – it was a good joke. I won't think anything of what he said, after all, he _is _insane. How reliable can what he says be?" Alice said indifferently, dismissing it all with a flick of the hand.

The Hare sighed, wishing his young friend would see. He decided the best approach would be to be kind. Yes; warm and kind. He reached over and lightly placed one warm paw on her shoulder, meeting her gaze with a surprising fatherly softness. No one could deny he cared about what happened to Alice; he looked down at her almost like a daughter.

"My dear, you must understand that we all care about you very much here. The Hatter himself couldn't even deny it. Why, we have known you since you were just a small little thing. Oh, how lovely you were! So inquisitive!" He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"Yes," he continued, lost in a reverie from many years ago, "you were a special child. I will never forget the determination, and the bravery that was in you – even for so young a child. You had a fire, my girl, one that could not have been so easily forgotten. And now, you are back."

The Hare searched her face anxiously, looking for any signs of another downpour before he continued. Alice also felt the end of the compliments drawing near, and sucked in a deep breath to prepare herself.

"Yes, you are back my dear. And my joy is beyond words. Had the circumstances been different, what with you being hunted and all, I should imagine that this long awaited visit would have been far more pleasant for all of us," and now he frowned, a sadness flowing over him as he thought of the truth behind the Hatter's harsh words. Alice's thoughts too, were now with the Hatter. When he spoke again, his voice was at the softest Alice had ever heard it.

"My dear, he has watched you grow from a child. From a child, who at one stage worshiped him. From a time when his attention and company was an honor. _You_ were the one honored by his attention, _you_ were excited – and at times slightly irritated – by his company. He has seen you grow from that - to this; laughing at him, mocking him, elevating yourself over him. He – and I – miss the child we met years ago, Alice. But I know it is still you. Find yourself, my dear, and when you do, you will not regret it." The Hare did not look up from the milky tea swirling around in his cup; he could not bare to see what effect his words could have had on Alice.

There was silence.

Slowly, hesitantly, he looked up from under his lashes at Alice, and was surprised. She was not red in the face from anger, or even red in the face from crying bitterly. Instead, Alice sat calmly, contemplatively at the table, her hands folded in her lap as she stared out into space, a thoughtful expression on her face. It took a while for her to be pulled out of her thoughts, but eventually there was eye contact. Guilt, compassion and pensiveness covered her pretty features at the sight of him, and she ran over to plant a kind kiss on the top of his head.

"Thank you," was all she said before leaving the room quickly.

Alice ran after the Hatter. She had no idea where he had went; and he was nowhere in or around the house. She was half grateful for this; she still needed time to collect her thoughts and her speech. What will she say to him? 'Sorry' didn't seem to cover it anymore.

She felt foolish, embarrassed, ignorant...the list went on and on in Alice's mind. How ironic had it been for her to run away from all she hated, only to have it plant itself in her. The Hatter and the Hare were right. They were absolutely right.

Now that she had realized this, it all made so much more sense. Snippets of memories and incidents came flooding back to her; a hard look, an unkind word; they were all reproving her. They all saw it. Why didn't she? She felt so mistaken, so disloyal and ungrateful; again a list began to form itself in her mind. She ran out the gate and into the woods, looking for any sign of the Hatter. Off the path, there was a trail, where the grass and moss seemed to have been recently disturbed by hard, angry footsteps. She prayed that it was the way the Hatter went and ran along it, not sure whether the moisture on her face was a result of unyielding tears or the rain that had begun to fall.

Just beyond the trees, she could see someone. Her pace quickened, as she began to sprint toward the slouched figure. They sat on a fallen log, looking solemn amongst the trees and ferns.

"Hatter!" She cried as she ran toward him.

The figure did not move.

"Hatter!" She tried again, her voice echoing through the woods.

The figure slowly rose off the log, only to straighten and reveal themselves to the honest-hearted girl. Unfortunately for Alice, it was not the Hatter.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were-" Alice stopped short. The figure removed the hood from it's cloak and stepped into the light. Alice gasped.

"You!" Alice cried, unable to help herself. Her eyes locked with a pair of elderly ones. They were sad and guilty.

"I'm sorry we meet again under these circumstances again, dear," the poor old woman said, "but believe me – it's for your own good."

With that she whisked out a small tube with a deep yellow mist in it, held in by a small cork. Three cats purred around her ankles.

She smiled briefly, then pulled out the cork.

**Okay, so I also have to mention I used inspiration from that great scene from the movie 'Emma' (based on the Jane Austen novel with Gweneth Paltrow in it) where the two main characters fight. Anyone who has seen it (and if you haven't then I can say it is a great movie – if you like Jane Austen movies – and you should see it) and knows what I'm talking about can have a cookie on me.**

**Woo hoo! Free cookies!**


	9. Chapter 9: Star Gazing

**Wow, this chapter has gone up real quick! I just love the idea behind this one, and it may be a little fluffier/cuter than my previous ones...but action will be back shortly!!! Hoorah for fluff!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _anything_ except my goldfish.**

**On with the story!**

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Alice had been out a while, though not as long as the previous time.

It was an almost agreeable state for Alice to be in; over the past few days she had been holding her very own life in her hands – controlling and over analyzing every situation and word, and now, laying helpless on the ground, she felt finally she could let what was to come, come. She was absolutely powerless, and instead of being afraid, she was relieved.

She was lying across the ferns, with the Hare and the Hatter standing over her; an extraordinary sense of deja vu floating into the atmosphere. She could hear their voices, and for a worrying instant, she was unsure whether time had gone backwards or forwards. And just like the last time, she was sore, though once again, not as sore. Was it possible to get used to being attacked? Alice thought not. She pretended to still be out, busy concentrating on their voices and breathing patterns. It amazed her how she had grown to recognize their voices from miles away, even their breathing was distinguishable. She enjoyed the sunshine that must have been creeping through the canopies, and let their familiarities fill her till she could bare it no longer; her eyes fluttered open, meeting two welcoming pairs of eyes above her.

A sense of irritation and relief washed over her."I'm alive?" She asked, her voice thick and uncertain.

At this the Hatter grinned, relieved to see her well. "Yes, you're alive. If alive means you are breathing, then yes; certainly. You are alive!"

Perhaps feigning unconsciousness for a little while longer would have been the better option, after being greeted back with such confusing enthusiasm. Alice felt as though her head was swimming.

"Oh," she managed to say back, then memories came flooding back to her, filling her with more guilt than her head could handle. She had been running; running to find the Hatter. Was that what had happened? It must have been so, though it seemed so strange and faraway to Alice. "Oh, Hatter, I'm so so-"

He held up one gloved hand to stop her. "Not now, you're still not coherent. You need to rest."

"I was just going to say that I-"

"Later, Alice," he told her gently.

"I'm-"

He shook his head at her.

"Sorry," she sighed softly, unable to meet his eyes.

"Well," the Hare coughed, "I'm glad we're all jolly good friends again." He looked down at Alice, though, with a certain amount of concern. "You really need to stop ending up like this, you know."

Alice sighed again, her muscles aching. Was there anything she could do without ending up in dull pain? "Tell me about, I think she knocked me out hard; my head is spinning."

"The same woman?"

"Yes; the exact same. I saw she had the disease this time, too. I don't understand, though. Shouldn't I be dead? She may have got it wrong the first time, but surely the second time she would make sure there would be no more mistakes..."

The Hare and Hatter both stiffened, but the Hare was the first to speak, his voice hard and authoritative. "You," he pointed an accusing finger at her, "are not going anywhere alone anymore. It is simply not safe."

Her heart sank. The unusual sensation of being helpless – and liking it – was beginning to wear off increasingly. "Oh, come on, that's really not necessary. Besides, I've been thinking if this woman truly did want to kill me, she would have done it already. Please don't make a fuss."

The Hatter shook his head vehemently. "No, no, don't be too sure. This is not the sort of thing to be taken lightly, Alice. You do not leave either of our sight, even if it means I have to handcuff you to me myself."

Now it was Alice's turn to turn firm, with her cheeks turning a light shade of pink, "handcuffing will be completely unnecessary, I assure you."

"Either way, my point is illustrated."

"And I understand it perfectly," Alice told him with perfect indifference.

"So we agree then?" The Hatter asked anxiously.

"Yes."

"Good," he spoke firmly.

"Good," Alice matched his cold tone.

They both dismissed each other coolly at the same time. The Hare's eyes darted between them like eyes would in a tennis match. Back and forth; back and forth. He looked worried. Perhaps now would be the time to act.

"Are you feeling better, Alice?" The Hare asked after an awkward pause, a little apprehensive.

She seemed momentarily dazed by the question, but managed to clear her head before anyone began to worry. "I'm perfectly fine now," Alice then seemed to realize the truth of it as she said it, "how wonderful!"

The Hare whistled a sigh of relief, "well, with that fact now known, I'll take my leave. I believe I have many important things to do. _Many_ important things."

"Like?" The Hatter quizzed, one eyebrow raised.

"Tea."

"Well," the Hatter raised his hands in understanding, "enough said."

The Hare gave a final nod to the two of them before leaving the woods. He glanced back at them over his shoulder occasionally as he hurried away, but overall left them in peace.

"That was subtle," Alice tried to joke, all of a sudden nervous as to what was to come. She was propped up on her elbows and was making an effort to get up. The Hatter reached out and offered his hand, which was gratefully accepted. She stood up and felt the blood rush to her head, blurring her vision.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon when I said I was fine; I swear I am seeing two of you," she confessed, grabbing onto his arm for support.

"As if one isn't enough to drive a person insane!" He laughed heartily, before casting an anxious glance at the weak blonde clinging onto him, "Are you sure you're alright? I can help you back down if you like," but truth be told, helping her back down would mean releasing her from his grasp, something he wasn't sure he wanted to do just yet.

To his infinite happiness, she shook her head. "No, no, I'm fine....It's clearing."

She stepped away all too soon, strong and healthy again, and at a perfectly respectable distance. The space gave them both the space to clear their heads.

"So," the Hatter began conversationally, "I heard that before your little run-in, you were coming into the woods to seek amends with me, is that true?" His tone was note smug, but perhaps a little excited.

Well, this is it, Alice thought to herself, this is what all her preparation had led to. She took a deep breath, and one step forward. She linked her hands behind her back, and unconsciously hung her head a little.

"Yes – yes, that's true. Your words shamed me, I guess all I really wanted to say is that you were right, and I'm more sorry than you can possibly imagine. You saw faults in me I didn't even know existed, only so kind of a friend would be so honest and open-hearted to be so caring. If there might be any chance in the future, any way to make it up to you, I will take it. Until that time, though, I hope it is enough to assure you that I'm going to try my best to change, and that I am more disappointed in myself than you can ever be," Alice hung her head a little lower, hoping that there may be the smallest chance for her to redeem herself.

"I was harsh Alice, and I'm sorry for causing you any hurt. You are a better person than the one I painted yesterday, believe me," he spoke gently.

Alice managed to half-smile. "I can't believe that, my faults seem more in number then the stars themselves at the moment."

"More than the stars? Do you have any idea how many that is? If your faults are more than the stars, then there is absolutely no hope for me," he tried to encourage her, searching her face to find any sign of effect.

"I fall short so often."

"We all fall, but I promise you _I'll_ be the one tripping myself up."

At this Alice couldn't help but smile. As strange and erratic he may be, she knew he was now considered a friend. _But_, a sober side of her reasoned, _he will be just one more friend you stand to lose when this all ends badly_. Alice bit down on her lip, fighting morbid thoughts from her mind.

"It's okay Alice, there will be an end to this," he assured her, sensing her stress and laying a hand on her shoulder. Alice couldn't deny it felt good; that firm, reassuring hand on her shoulder made her feel ten times stronger, and far more capable. It was as if she had been handed courage in a parcel from the Hatter's kind touch. Courage or no courage, she still had her senses.

"I know," she sighed, "but it is the end of this that I fear the most."

"Sometimes endings end badly, sometimes they end nobly, but sometimes endings are just new beginnings," he said, while nodding wisely, though not quite sure himself if it made any sense.

"Will I have a choice in the matter, though?"

"Probably not," he answered cheerfully.

Alice sighed. "At any rate, I am very sorry," she concluded.

"As am I."

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Alice had been awake for a good part of the night already, her thoughts spinning around her head like a carousel. That is, a carousel she could not get up onto or make any sense of. She replayed scenes and conversations through her head again and again as she tried to force her blue eyes shut. No matter how much time or patience Alice seemed to allocate to the mystery that now seemed to be her life, she simply could not make it out. If only she had been able to learn the Cheshire cat's secret, the secret that eventually cost him dearly. If she had known it, been able to coax it out of him, she had a strong gut feeling this all would have made a lot more sense. It was like a missing piece to a puzzle; if it is gone, the puzzle is incomplete, let alone comprehensible. Alice would gladly go on a mad hunt to find that missing piece; if had it not gone under with it's master; under the Queen's spell.

Her thoughts twirled around in circles, though instead of finding answers along the way, she dug up more questions. One of the biggest was that of who actually was the Queen. It is nearly impossible, chasing after someone, who is chasing after you, who had no form whatsoever. How could it even be possible to stay as hidden as she was? Her thoughts drifted back to the Cheshire's secret. It had been about the Queen. Perhaps that was even the secret itself; how the Queen stayed hidden. Or who she was. Or where she was. Anything would have been acceptable, as long as it got her off this carousel that continued to go nowhere, but rotated in endless circles.

And now this old woman was presenting herself as a problem. She was working for the Queen, unless she had some other personal ill-will toward Alice, which seemed unlikely. She was yet another mystery to Alice – why had she merely injured her momentarily instead of killing her? She had used the disease against Alice, though in small amounts, and all it had done was knock her out for a while.

But despite all her questions, and her undeniable lack of answers, Alice could sense she was close. Once again, a gut feeling reared itself in Alice head, promising the secret lay once again behind closed doors in the castle itself. Of course! What better place to keep a secret about an entire Kingdom than in the very place that runs it? The castle had everything; security, endless rooms, and mystery that could cover a lifetime of secrets and motives. If only she had that missing piece...then perhaps it would all make sense to Alice.

Alice pulled herself up out of bed. The night was unusually warm, and she had no desire to sleep; near death experiences or not. She pulled a heavy, blue coat over herself, despite the temperature, and slipped out barefoot down the hall. She passed many quiet rooms till she was outside, and the night sky shone above her head like jewels. The fresh air filled her lungs with a new sort of hope, and a new sort of reason. Through all her years of applying logic and reason to the workings of mankind, here was the place it all vaporised into yet another mystery of the night sky. Nothing mattered here; and yet everything did. Logic did not exist; yet the chaos that organized this place was it's own breed of logic. Here, nothing was reality except the air you breathed and the feelings you felt. Alice felt like she had been renewed; reborn. Determination filled her as she wondered through the misty garden; she would discover this mess, and when she did, she would be the one to put a stop to it. Not the Mad Hatter, not the March Hare, not even the Queen herself; it would all be Alice. She would be the heroine of her own story.

As she approached the front of the house again, she noticed a figure laying down on the gravel path, facing upright toward the sky. She froze. Surely this could not be happening, and so soon? Why doesn't someone just kill her to get it over and done with? She was about to turn away promptly and either run away screaming, or....well, she hadn't fully considered any other option yet, when she realized she knew that figure.

The Hatter.

She made her way over shyly, wondering if he would be embarrassed by her catching him like this, or would he just shake it off; a regular occurrence? He did not move, even though her footsteps were loud and clear against the muddy grass, and Alice wondered if he had fallen asleep. She leaned over to look down at him, to see with surprise his eyes wide open...watching?

"Hatter? Uh, what are you doing out here?"

He continued to lay down flat on the ground, staring past her inquisitive face, up into the sky. His expression was thoughtful, a state that rarely crossed his face. His eyes shone as they reflected the stars above him.

"Star gazing," he said finally.

Alice considered this for a moment, before she deduced she could make absolutely nothing of it. She was mystified.

"Oh," she said simply, finding it to be the only adequate thing to say, "why?"

Now he tore his gaze away from the heavens to her face above him. He watched her face for some time, as if torn between speaking or remaining silent, a battle taking over his bizarre features. In an entirely uncharacteristic movement, his lips pulled out very slowly into a half smile, as he patted the gravel next to him.

"Come try for yourself, then maybe I'll tell you."

Alice raised a brow. He wasn't serious was he? Feeling like an utter lunatic, as her curiosity got the better of her, she unsteadily settled herself down next to him awkwardly, feeling the gravel beneath her scrape against the thick coat on her back.

"Okay," she conceded irritably, "I'm down here. Now you can tell me-"

She was cut off by a firm finger pressing against her lips.

"Shhh," he ordered, his voice still holding on to the odd, thoughtful tone, "don't speak. Just _look_."

He gestured back up toward the night sky, his hands cupping the air in awe. Alice followed his gaze, and let out a short, patch breath; it was breathtaking.

The stars filled the sky to such a degree it was hard to find any areas of pure blackness. They shone brighter than diamonds, casting colors across the heavens as if a painter's palette had been smeared against the jewel-like darkness. Planets were far more visible, and far more lovely, and the constellations seemed to make out shapes she had never heard of before. She thought she saw a chandelier, than a swan but was then distracted by the texture that seemed to consume the night.

The sky did not look flat, instead it was as if she was looking down at the peaks of the tallest mountains; seeing them rise and fall in grand splendor.

Alice was so deep in awe and delight, she had not noticed the Hatter's eyes slide from the sky to her. She jumped though, when she felt her hand being caught up into another one, and kind words began to slide from his mouth.

"You see Alice? And you thought your faults were more than the stars themselves. How can you think such unkind things of yourself when you have seen all this? Do you understand now?" The kind reminder left Alice a little flustered, thinking that no one had done such a kind thing for here when she was feeling out-of-sorts. He smiled at her reassuringly.

"You have friends here, Alice, don't forget that," after that he was up, straightening his coat and bounding inside, leaving Alice bewildered by the night and her strange companion.


	10. Chapter 10: Epiphany

_**GASP – **_**part of the truth is revealed!!! But not to worry, there are plenty more juicy secrets yet to be spilt!!!!!ha ha – and just when you thought it might be nearing to an end....but there is sooo much still in store.....muah ha ha ha.......****_eye twitches_......**

**Disclaimer: CAVE MAN DAVE SAY: ME NO OWN. ON WITH STORY. YAH.**

**p.s: oh yeah, almost forgot, but there may be indirect references to goldfish in there somewhere....c'mon, whats the harm? ;P**

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To every truth, there is an element of falsehood in it, and in every lie, there is always in element of truth. This cannot be compromised, and can be applied in every situation you could imagine. For example, I could tell you my goldfish is gold. Then again, I could be lying – as it is more a yellow-ocher color. You see? Truth is always relative. Another example (one that is slightly more relevant to the story) is that of the Queen's double.

Her real name – Veronica – is irrelevant; yet it cannot be overlooked, as it gives us a way to look into her life when she is not being presented as the Queen, but as herself. Once again, you see, fact is relative. What she told Alice on the day of their meeting, is also proof of the earlier statement, as only half of it was true, and what was a lie, would have never been exposed.

So let us take a moment to visit Veronica, and leave Alice for a while to her antics with her two crazy companions, and perhaps this impromptu visit while clear the waters just a little to the maddening mystery that seemed to evolve into Alice's life.

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Veronica had not removed her royal apparel, which was no surprise to any of the guards, as they all felt more comfortable when she was dressed as the Queen – it kept her authority over them valid. She, too, felt at home within the luxurious layers of her gown; it was where she felt she belonged. Yes, it was indisputable – she was born to rule. Her personality, her wealth of knowledge and money, her relentless hunger for power, and her overall dominant being were all tell-tale signs of her superiority. What may surprise people, though, is that she had always kept herself in check; she had always respected her Queen's (even though she _was_ missing) leadership above her own, never stepping over the line and taking orders humbly. She had never felt the need to start her own rule, or turn tyranny into her own hands.

That is, until now.

Now was the time for great change, and a new empire was on the horizon – there for the taking for whomever was worthy. The Queen was weak – why else had she run from her rule? She had also grown old, her skin began to sag like soft clay even before she had disappeared – and that was years ago now. It was time for a change – for a revolution of ruling. It was time for Veronica. She could almost taste it on her own tongue; hear it ring in her ears. She was not a poetic woman, yet she could fantasize on her rule for hours on end. In one word, Veronica was _Ambitious_.

She made her way down the cold, damp corridors of the castle. She was underground now, the walls paved with gray stone. There were doors on her left and right, but she ignored them mercilessly till she found the one she was looking for. It was not hard – she had been to it so many times before, why, she was the one that invented it for it's new purpose! She pushed through the steel-studded door, which was locked for anyone but herself. In front of her, in that very room, was the key to her success. What she had grown in this room, was the key to becoming Queen of all Wonderland. Was she excited? That would be an understatement.

It was a laboratory. Perhaps one might expect an army of ravenous soldiers, or an atomic weapon that was suited to an _ambitious _woman like herself. But what need for that was there, when you had a laboratory? No, she did not need the soldiers, or even the cats when she had this. There was a flower – purple and red and green and blue. Yellow, orange, lilac, white, black, brown, tan, olive, pink and aqua. It was an array of colors – the most beautiful flower on could possibly lay eyes on. It sat in the middle of the lab almost in a _Beauty and the Beast_ like fashion, though it had tubes connecting to it, traveling down into cauldrons and burners. They bubbled and crackled, till ingredients were poured in from some of the strangest sources – a pig's eye, cotton, hoofs, mushrooms, cakes with 'eat me' laced over the top, caterpillars and a never-ending black stream of liquid that looked like tar was added to the mix. More tubes wired and connected themselves into vents and tins. A container bubbled. Something whizzed. A huge pot sat in the corner of the room – towering over Veronica – where steam was extracted, till finally, tubes were dispensed and a green mist was contained into separate tubes – all sealed firmly with corks.

Yes, why would she need an army when she had thought of and created this?

The disease.

She was a brilliant woman, and no one knew it better than herself. Who needed an army to fight wars, to protect their people, to threaten their people, to create fear, to promote peace, to take over a kingdom when a single flower could do it all for them? She knew times were changing – control no longer belonged to a man, but to a disease. Execution was no longer varying or compromising, the disease now made it standard. The best of it all, the best of it all was that she had created it, she controlled it. She knew it, and it moved inside her veins and controlled her the same was she controlled it. They were a team now, and it was no longer clear who was master and who was slave. It did not matter to Veronica, though, all that mattered was the power that was now within her reach.

It was a blessing that the townsfolk were convinced the Queen had created the disease before she left, and unleashed it one night in their sleep. Not even the guards knew who was the one behind the sickly mist. With a growing, indisputable hatred toward the Queen becoming predominant, it would be only a matter of time before she could step in and 'save' Wonderland. Only two problems now stood in her way.

The first: Where _was_ the Queen, and what on earth was she doing? After all, what good is it to take over a kingdom only to have the real Queen return and clear up the whole misunderstanding. If Veronica only knew where that blastard old hag was, she could silence her forever....

And as to what she had been doing all this time, who knew? She was not dead, and she was not ignorant. The Queen being alive was an apparent obstacle.

The second: Alice.

Petty; a small girl, once in the company of the Queen, gone, and now returned. One small girl who had grown into a young woman would have been hardly a concern, had it not been for the Queen's words to Veronica herself all those years ago...

"_..And when I relinquish my rule, I intend for her to take my place..."_

It had only been a passing remark – a small, inconsequential matter to the Queen who had uttered it, but it had been a earth-shattering truth to Veronica. She had disregarded it, though; the Queen was growing old and her mind unreliable, and the Alice she had spoken of had not been seen in years, and had no promise of returning. She had almost completely forgotten it.

Until now.

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The household of the Hare was in an uproar. Clothes were being flung about, plates were spinning like discs in the air, the walls were dancing, the stairs were falling apart, the Hatter couldn't find his hat, the Hare was jumpy in a non-rabbit sort of way, Alice was restless, and horror or horrors...the Chinese green tea had run out. Everything seemed disorganized and up-side down (even more than usual), and the worst part of it was Alice had no idea why.

"What is going on?!" She cried, her voice barely reaching levels above the chaos. The room about her was in a mess, and the two madmen were constantly running in and out with all sorts of assorted items in their hands – tea, cake, shoes, gates, even a live pig at one stage, who had been strangely missing one eye came through the room.

The Hare and the Hatter dropped their items (most unfortunately for the pig who gave a squeal in refusal) and faced the girl, their attention diverted momentarily. The Hare looked at the Hatter, as if giving him the responsibility of explaining, and the Hatter did likewise to the Hare, which made the two explode into a fit of hysterical laughing. Alice glared at them till their senses had calmed – relatively - and waited for her explanation.

"It is something we must do from time to time-" the Hatter began, his voice still light and on the verge of another hysterical attack. A giggle escaped his lips, to which he clasped his mouth closed, trying to beat off the roaring laughter that was pressing against his belly.

The Hare grinned, enjoying himself. "Yes, as being insane _all _the time can turn rather predictable, so-" he too now was beating down giggles, biting down on his lip like a child, snorts freely coming from him, as laughing was no option. He tried to hold it in.

The Hatter, over his recent laughing attack dived to his rescue, "so we must take our insanity to a new level – to keep thing spontaneous-" he could go no further, as his determination broke on the last word, a short, loud laugh escaping him, but muffled by the Hare's hand, making it sound something of a _Haugh-mfffbfff_.

The two could restrain themselves no longer, and hysterics quickly took over, resuming the house into the prior chaos. They collapsed onto the floor, clutching their bellies, leaving Alice unsure of what to do.

She would love to join them – how happy they looked! But a certain feeling hung over her – not propriety or good-breeding, or even manners – but a dark cloud that seemed to tell her danger was close. It was that feeling you get, that you are being watched, or followed, or schemed upon, or thought of. It makes you want to look over your shoulder – a quick, survival instinct, even though nothing was there but your embarrassment and paranoia. The feeling made Alice want to hide.

The two laughing friends looked so vulnerable, so unprotected in their state of mirth, it seemed to Alice like a perfect opportunity if one was the enemy. She looked over her shoulder once again. Nothing. Again. Nothing. Again. Nothing.

Again......Mother?

She was there – for the briefest of instants. She was scolding, her face pinched and unpleasant. That was, for the first second. Alice gazed longer, and her Mother's face abruptly shifted to horror, her expression surprised, disgusted, and frightened all at the same time. It haunted Alice long after the mirage-like figure faded. It was there for the shortest moment – Alice blinked, and it was gone.

"What the-"

Alice wasn't sure who said it, but as she turned to the other two, they were still in their laughing fit, not noticing anything. How odd. Had she said it?

An uncomfortable feeling rose in Alice's stomach, as she did not know what to make of her visitor. She did not believe in signs, or any of that sort of thing. Perhaps the Cheshire cat was right all the long - _"We're all mad here..."_

Was she going mad? Perhaps. It did not seem unlikely, considering her company and current situation. She felt herself, though. She did not feel as though she had changed – but perhaps that was the main downfall of being mad. You do not know it until it is too late. And when would it be too late for Alice? The thought turned her reasoning somewhat morbid, and she shuddered unconsciously.

Did her companions know they were mad? Yes – they had often said it themselves, but could they actually comprehend the meaning and effects of the word? The word probably meant a different thing to her than it did to them. She made a mental note to ask them sometime.

"Alice?" Came the Hatter's voice (it was calm, so obviously the fit was over).

"Huh?" She spun around, disorientated. Her eyes focused in on two pairs of concerned ones.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," he told her simply.

Alice smiled, her lips pulling apart till she found she was giggling. The sensation was strange, as it was something she rarely did. Her giggles promptly turned to laughter, though there was something terribly unhealthy about it. She laughed uncontrollably, tears swiftly cascading down her cheeks as her laughing turned to painful chokes. The sound of it sent chills down the Hatter's spine. She did not look well, her entire face paled but her cheeks, which were rosy from the aching smile that was plastered on her face. The Hatter did not like this, but at the same time he loved it terribly – like a dark desire that was planted in the depths of his soul. He wanted to increase, though he knew it was wrong. He must be sick to find pleasure in this insanity Alice was indulging herself in.

So be it, he was sick.

It was a wonderful feeling that crawled through him. The pleasure and pride seemed to fuel through his veins as he watched Alice quieten, though still pleased the half-crazed look was still evident in her eyes. Finally; they were equals! He could understand her better now, and best of all, she would understand him, now that they were both mad! While this joy was within him, he also felt sick. How could he have done this to her? Look and see what Wonderland had done to the once innocent, lovely child who was of such a strong character. Look and see! It mangled her, it twisted her, it pulled her inside out till she was no longer Alice, but another crazed, soulless scoundrel in this town. He hated what his kind had done to her, yet he loved it. Then something hit him; hard.

_Why_ did he love it so?

He could understand why he hated it; but love it? What drove him to loving the way the beautiful girl's eyes darted between him and his friend, the way she stared at him for minutes on end, the way she seemed so confused and mad? Did it mean he wanted to see her return to her world twisted and insane, broken and chaotic? It was impossible that he could be so cruel, for they would never except her back into their society – she wouldn't belong...

_Oh._

No, she wouldn't belong there. Not if this burst of insanity remained and increased. She would have to stay here, where she would fit in. Where she belonged. Yes, she would have to stay here. With the people of Wonderland. With the March Hare. With the Mad Hatter......with him.

_Oh..._

So _that's_ why.

He wanted her with him.

_Oh._

The Hatter chewed over this puzzling revelation, not knowing what to make of it. He watched Alice, who seemed to be quieting down after her fit. Alice. He wanted Alice to stay with him? It seemed such an odd thing for the Hatter to desire; was Alice his friend? Would he miss her company if she did not stay with him? Perhaps; but there seemed to be something missing. The Hatter made few friends, and for some strange, unfathomable reason he just couldn't place Alice into the same compartment of his heart where he had stored all of his other friends. He wondered at this, baffled. As he wondered, he watched her.

She was now leaning into the couch, her hair falling across her eyes – whether this was strategically done to cover their redness or not, the Hatter couldn't tell – her arms folded in her lap. Her body was slack – exhausted from such a new experience. Fits were tiring – and the Hatter knew that better than anyone. The Hare had sat next to her, once again the fatherly figure in the small room. He, too, was watching Alice – though unlike the Hatter he watched her in more concern than fascination. The then Hatter saw him do something he rarely did – he had lifted up his paws, his arms, and pulled Alice into his arms to give her a kind, affectionate hug.

It hit the Hatter like a bus. The envy; the pure envy for the Hare at that moment. He had never, ever, ever felt anything like this before, he had always been shielded by such emotions; he had _always_ had whatever he wanted, and now, for the first time in his twisted life, he wished for more than anything else in the world that he was the one who had Alice in his arms, wrapping his hands around her protectively, lovingly till she was as warm as he, and their breathing was as melodic as a duet.

But then his imagination carried him further. The Hare had affectionate feelings for Alice, but they were not the same as what the Hatter felt. No, they were nothing compared to the swelling sensation in the Hatter's chest. The Hare would release her from his grasp in a few moments, but the Hatter, if he were so fortunate to be where the Hare was now, he would hold onto her even tighter. He would cradle her against his chest like a priceless artifact, stroking her from the top of her golden head to the small of her back till she shivered, despite the warmth. His hand would memorize the feel of her spine over and over again – marveling at the way it would rise and fall in a pattern. He would stroke her cheeks with the back of his hand – her rosy, pink cheeks – over and over till they turned as red as the blood that would be pulsing wildly through his veins in excitement.

Hatter shook his head, as if to clear it of these new and wonderful thoughts about Alice. He had no idea what had come over him a few moments ago, but whatever it was, it had left his heart racing at a pace that it did not, and never would, slow down from. He wished he had a name for it – a name for this wonderful feeling burning at his throat, and tingling at the toes on his feet. He felt fresh, excited to hear Alice's voice ring across the room, wishing to hear her words sigh something sweet to him, like silken honey dripping in his ears.

And then it came to him - his epiphany:

He loved her.

And then he saw her watching him. He chastised himself momentarily – he hadn't realized he had been staring at her the whole time, but neither broke the gaze. Alice's cheeks began to burn from his unwavering stare, and she looked away, unwilling to imagine what on earth the Hatter could have been possibly thinking about as he had been staring at her all that time.

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**(tentatively) tell me what you think??? (hint hint – review?) :) :) :)**


	11. Chapter 11: Love

**Helloooo! First of all, thanks for everyone's kind reviews – it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside knowing you guys are liking the story so far!! Oh, and for you guys who wanted to know, let me tell you that ALL mysteries and questions left hanging in the previous chapter or so WILL be answered all in due time!! Patience, darlings, patience :P**

**Disclaimer: (Gosh I'm getting sick of writing these!!) I do not own Alice in Wonderland or any of it's characters. There.**

**On with the story!!**

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There are many definitions of love. To list them all at this very moment would be close to impossible, let alone time-consuming. Scholars, poets and some of the greatest minds this world has ever seen have employed numerous lifetimes to establish a common world-acknowledged meaning for the infamous burning. Their success has been limited, if nothing at all.

In short, the definition of the term is completely up to personal interpretation, as the feeling and meaning varies from person to person. And just as you and I may claim to be in love at some stage or another, so did the Hatter, who believed himself to be quite sincere. Whether he was or not, one could not say.

Regardless of all previous skepticism, love was the name the Hatter had provided for this new sensation he found himself drowning in on a daily basis. Idle hours out of doors, even idle hours indoors were too often spent gazing out at nothing in particular (if not a certain someone happened to be near, then his gaze would evolve into a rather disturbing stare). He spent much of his time in silence, as if in a thoughtful reverie – although, truth be told, he did this mainly because it was what he had seen often done when one was supposed to be in love. Had it not been for the endless propaganda of love-sick couples in their pensive, romantic attitudes, the Hatter would have had no idea how he should behave in his state. But thanks to the study he performed on this subject, the Hatter fancied himself the perfect example of a man in love.

Or so he thought.

His confidence was shattered continually by Alice's standoffish attitude, which was more often than not nothing but pure indifference or ignorance to his secret wishes. Still, he did not give up. Just like a true pilgrim, he continued at a steady pace to entertain these feelings toward her with the confidence that she will (whether willingly or not) accept him in time. It was all in good time. The Hatter grinned to himself momentarily.

"What on earth are you grinning about now?" The soprano voice that belonged to no other but Alice rang into his consciousness, interrupting his fanciful plans for her that unfortunately for her, she knew absolutely nothing about. Perhaps if she had, she would have felt inclined to back away very slowly, and hope never to encounter the madman again.

Her forceful, plain question brought him back to reality – a little grudgingly – and back to the bushy, overgrown wilderness they had been wandering around in for the past two hours. He remembered the mud sticking to the bottom of his shoe; ah, yes – reality. How wonderful. It took him a while to calculate his answer.

"I am grinning over the fact that we have been wandering through this bushy, overgrown wilderness for the past two hours, without a single clue as to where we are going, and that my feet are now growing blisters on top of my blisters, and that we haven't even found what we are looking for. Come to think of it, I'm not sure you even know what you are looking for. _I_ don't even know what your looking for. But what you are looking for may know that you are looking for it...can we stop now? My feet have swollen into...into...well, something that swells up really big and fat."

Alice frowned. "A simple 'because' would have sufficed."

The Hatter bent down to nurse his swollen feet in a dejected matter, making Alice pause for a moment to wait for him impatiently. His voice turned into an unpleasant whine. "Alice...can we stop _yet_? I haven't been this tired since....yesterday, when I couldn't sleep."

"And why couldn't you sleep?"

The Hatter thought yet again before answering, his tongue forming a bulge on his right cheek as he weighed his options. To claim he had been up all night thinking of her would be quite romantic indeed, but it was not true. The truth was that he had been up all night wondering how the flowers in his garden still managed to grow through all the weeds his usually watered, and whether it really mattered. The question was debatable. Torn between the truth and the lie, he choose to ignore the question all together and fire one of his own.

"Are we stopping yet?"

Alice sighed, finding it impossible to drag the expedition out any further with the Hatter in such an annoying, yet strangely pitiful state. He seemed so quiet and observant nowadays, a transformation that unnerved her slightly. She did not trust the new thoughtful Hatter, whose wandering eyes always seemed to find her, no matter where or how well she thought she could hide.

They stopped just short of another clearing, and leaned against a grand tree that seemed to have been there for centuries; dust gathering on it's trunk. The Hatter slumped down with a grateful cry of relief, while Alice leaned back, twisting her hands together as she did when she was nervous, wondering how she could ever make this plan work.

"I'm sorry I dragged you out all this way," she said, her hands still twisting, "I don't know what I was thinking. Well, actually, I do know what I was thinking; I thought she would be here – somewhere – it just felt like I could find her here, you know – it felt like she _should_ be here."

"The Queen?" The Hatter asked lazily.

"No," Alice sighed impatiently, feeling embarrassed and annoyed at the same time. She had explained this to him before; obviously he hadn't been listening to her, but was on another one of his gazing sessions. "The old woman who keeps, well, trying to kill me. We were looking for her – or some sign of her, remember?"

"That's just silly. Why would _you_ hunt down _her_?" He sighed with his eyes closed. He held up one finger in the air as he said it, as if it were the only part of his body that could move.

"Would you rather _she_ hunt down _me_?"

"No!" The Hatter's eyes flipped open, shock and horror crossing his features, "how could you ever suggest I could wish for such a thing to happen to you?" He stared up at her defiantly, as if challenging her to claim otherwise.

"It was a rhetorical question."

"A question is always a question; no matter how 'rhetorical' you think you can make it!"

Alice sighed heavily, already prepared to give up on this days counter-productive expedition and the man sitting at her feet. To be honest, she was beginning to feel a little drowsy as well, and was in no mood to play any more of the Hatter's silly mind games.

"It was just that-," Alice began, feeling that she must be allowed to defend her plans. She still felt a strong gut instinct churn inside of her, as if she had been right all the long, and she must not allow this over-grown brat to undermine her instincts. "That I felt it would be like, well, like that woman would be a means to the end. Like she could be the beginning of the spiral – and we might be able to win this fight after all. I just kept thinking she is worth more to us than she would like us to believe-" Alice was cut short by an approving voice on the other side of the gigantic tree.

"Your right – you're absolutely right."

Alice stopped short, her hand flying to her throat as she stared down at the Hatter.

"Did you just say something?" Alice asked hopefully, praying that it had been him.

"Me? No, then again I do talk to myself quite a bit...no..." He looked back up at her, puzzled.

"Oh no," Alice breathed.

"_Oh yes_," the voice behind the tree chirped happily.

"I knew it, I just knew it," Alice sighed to herself, resigned in both fear and humorless irony.

"Oh yes, my dear, you _knew_ it," the voice's owner stepped around the tree, forcing Alice and the Hatter to come face to face with what they had been searching for, though their hunt had taken an unfortunate reversal of roles.

"Hide _and go_ seek," the old woman grinned at them.

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Alice's first instinct was to run, but she thought better of it. She had come this far to find this woman, and now here she was; found, thought Alice felt more like the mouse in the cat's paws than the cat.

The Hatter, too, had his own survival instincts pushing against his mind, although they had been quite different than Alice's. His arms and legs readied themselves; as if he were about to pounce onto the old woman's head; tackling her, in what was in his mind, a heroic act. To anyone else, he would have looked like an idiot as he stood there, leaning slightly toward the woman in a 'threatening' stance.

The three of them stood there like that for quite some time, neither the Hatter or Alice quite sure of what to do, and the old woman enjoying the spectacle of her confused companions. They stood in a loose circle – or triangle – each one waiting for the other to speak, or act. The Hatter briefly considered pointing out the awkwardness of the situation to them all, though disregarded it as promptly as it came into his head, seeing that the fact was already quite obvious.

"Well," the old woman cooed at Alice, having eyes only for the girl. This seemed odd to Alice, who was aware of the Hatter's close presence at her side. Wasn't it obvious to the woman, she thought, couldn't she see it would have been best to conquer the Hatter first, then turn on Alice, who would have then be defenseless? Alice chastised herself for such thoughts, reminding herself she should be working out her own game plan, not her enemy's.

"Well," Alice said somewhat uncomfortably back, not sure why this woman was bothering with meaningless banter.

"I do believe this is the first time I have had the honor of having a proper two-way conversation with you Alice, I must say I find it all quite refreshing," she said smiling. There was something in the old woman's voice that sounded so...old. But that was not the curious thing about that voice, Alice realized after a second, perhaps it was where had she heard that voice before?

"I don't believe you have given her a real chance for any sort of _chat_. From what I've heard, you seem to enjoy knocking my friend out cold every time you meet. Bloomin' hell – even_ I_ know that's not how you introduce yourself," the Hatter shot at the old woman, his voice fiery.

The old woman now just seemed to notice his presence, and gave him a small, patronizing smile.

"The Mad Hatter here, too? How lovely. And how are you Hatter? Still mad, I see."

"People like me don't change," he retorted, his voice seething with a hatred Alice hadn't thought him capable of, "and from what I've heard, neither do people like yourself. So why don't you get on with what your here for? Go on; _try_ to kill her. I'll warn you, though, I'm not going to let you get so close as an inch to even lay a finger on her."

The old woman seemed to find this slightly amusing, in a grim sort of way. Her already thin, withering lips pressed into an even thinner line, and her eyes turned dark.

"You think I mean to _kill _Alice - _Alice_?" She asked incredulously.

His eyes narrowed into slits. "I _know_ you do."

"Then you truly are mad," she told him calmly. There it was again – the familiarity in the voice.

"Uh," Alice wavered, "what do you mean you don't mean to kill me?"

"Alice," Hatter warned her, "don't listen to this woman. She is not to be trusted."

"I am not? So does that make you the only one she can trust? Now be sensible, Hatter, I know you better than you think," the old woman warned him in return. "Consider, Alice," she now turned to the object of her speech, watching Alice with steady gray eyes, "have I killed you? I have harmed you – perhaps, but I do not take your life. Will you truly believe this _madman_, who lies to you so readily everyday-"

"I do not!" The Hatter cut her off angrily.

She ignored him, and continued to watch Alice carefully as every word she spoke sunk in.

"-and every night. Do you know him so well as you think you do? Or do you know him as well as he wishes you to? Trust me, Alice. I will not take your life – if anything, I am saving your life. Remember that Alice, you are indebted to me for saving your life in the past, and for the saving of your life I will perform for you in the future. Remember it, Alice, don't you dare forget it."

And with that, she whisked out yet another flask, holding the green mist that haunted Alice's dreams, opening it and releasing it's contents into the air in Alice's direction.

"No! Not again!" The Hatter cried out, prepared to knock a dazed Alice out of the way.

The old woman bounded toward him, pushing him away from Alice and the mist with a strength he had not anticipated. She pinned him against a tree, her frail hands clipping his broad shoulders to the bark, as she began to whisper harshly to him.

"Now listen to me, Hatter," she pinned him down harder when he protested, making him cringe in pain, "I said _listen_. Leave her be. You will not be saving her life if you 'save' her from this disease I have unleashed on her – you will be dooming her. I _am_ the one keeping her alive here, not you. I am the one who has been protecting her all this time, not you. And I am the one telling you that you must let this happen. I will also tell you to stay away from her. Starting from now, you must keep your distance. Trust me, it will be for your own good."

"What do you mean," the Hatter growled at her, "keep my distance? What are you implying?"

In reply the woman pinned him down harder again, making his teeth clench in pain.

"I mean for you to stop being with her. Stop 'helping' her. Stop talking to her. Stop seeing her. Stop watching her. Stop thinking about her. Just stop. The Mad Hatter and Alice do not exist. They do not belong. They are the magnets that don't attract. The closer one tries to move, the further back the other one glides. Do you see? _What makes you think an insane, delusional, crazed madman like yourself will ever be enough for the future Queen_?"

"What?" He asked, startled.

"Just take my advice, won't you?" She did not wait for him to respond, but drifted out of view, past Alice's slumped body. Her slumped body – yet again.

"Hare will _not_ be impressed," he grumbled half at Alice's unconscious body, and half to himself. "Oh, Alice, how _do_ you manage to do it?" Honestly, it was exasperating how Alice always seemed to find herself like this.

He bent down on one knee, casting his shadow over her, his shoulders still aching as he gently maneuvered his hands under her nimble back. Slowly and cautiously – terrified that she may wake up and demand to be put down – he lifted her off the ground and into his arms, a not so entirely unpleasant thrill crawling up his spine as he did so. There was something so wonderfully daring about holding Alice, he thought to himself as he began to trek the way home, it was like being given a priceless treasure, one that had been marveled at for centuries for it's beauty and rareness, and being allowed to hold it, to touch it, to treasure it against one's chest. It gave the Hatter pleasant feelings that traveled right through his body.

The girl in his arms did not stir, no, she only seemed to fit perfectly against his upper body as he cradled her. Her unconscious face was sickly though; the green mist giving it's own sheen over her skin in a way that terrified the Hatter. What if she did not make it, and was only destined to die in his arms without him even being given the chance to tell her of the pleasant feelings that arouse in his chest every time he saw her, or the way he had memorized the pattern her hair fell from the crown of her head. Anxious, he held her closer, no longer shy toward the respectable distance he _should_ provide her with. Instead, he clutched her to him, making themselves into one flesh. Thinking of her life and death, her love and hatred, he considered if there would ever be a way that he may make their future bearable.

"Did I not tell you to leave her be?" A dreadfully familiar voice shrieked from behind him. He ignored it though, and pressed on with the girl in his arms, moving steadily further and further away from the old voice and it's horrible protests. He would not leave her be. No one could make him leave her side. Not even Alice herself could convince him otherwise.

If her life should end now, thanks to that treacherous old hag, the Hatter promised himself he would tell her everything – all the 'lies' that old woman had accused him of telling her – even if it would be said in a whisper to her lifeless face. The thought made the Hatter ache from a place inside his body, though he could not identify where, it was so new to him, so fresh, he wondered why it had never ached in such a way before.

He was still trekking through the bush, cursing Alice in his mind for making his had-been-life of tea and hats so darn complicated, when there was movement in his arms. Alice stirred, and to his supreme amazement her eyes flicked open, and blue met him with such a new joy like he had never felt before. She was alive!

"Alice!" He cried, his bright face beaming down at her.

"Hat-Hatter? What the-" she quickly realized why she had felt like she had been swaying so, and made a sharp jolt that caused her to fall from his arms and onto the bushy undergrowth of the trees.

"Darn it!" He fumbled to her, quite willing to pick her up again, only to be rejected with a firm hand.

"I'm fine," she told him sternly, "no need for that."

The Hatter made a face. Not only had this girl caused so much havoc on his life – but she was utterly stubborn, too. Would she ever let him have his way, just the once?

"Gosh, Alice," he admonished to her without thinking, "I though you were going to die. I promised myself – never mind," he added quickly, hoping she wouldn't pick up on his small slip.

"You had promised yourself what?" She asked, her curiosity picking up. The Hatter seemed so embarrassed, it was hard not to try to wheedle it out of him. Besides, what did _he_, of all people, need to be ashamed of? Alice supposed he must have broken one of the Hare's favorite teapots.

"Well – I...uh...it's nothing, really."

"Tell me, Hatter," Alice ordered him, then seeing that that didn't work, tried her voice in a far softer, coaxing tone, "please, Hatter. Won't you tell me? Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not _that_ bad. Whatever you have to say, I will hear it."

The Hatter stared at her for a long moment, his heart pounding in his chest as a sudden wave of confidence washed over him. The way she was looking at him, her blue eyes warming over his face like the sun, the way her pink lips were speaking to him in that soft, melodic voice; perhaps there was a chance she cared for him. He took a risk.

Tentatively, yet boldly; scared, yet confident, he allowed his fingers to brush up against a rosy cheek, letting them dance rhythmically along the skin as he marveled at the smoothness and the heat that was drifting from it; getting warmer and warmer as her blush reddened his fingertips right through to the tip of his nose. His fingers drifted up to her small ear, where he allowed himself to tuck a few loose, golden strands gently behind it. He moved closer, his other hand reaching up to the back of her head, his arms closing in around her neck and shoulders.

Then he felt her hands.

Against his chest, the heated palms were placed. He marveled at how wonderful it felt to have her hands touch him, they weren't just any hands, no; they were _her_ hands. The girl, the woman, she was there; in his arms. Her hands against his chest, _her_ hands. Had he ever dreamt it possible? Perhaps one too many times, though it didn't matter what his dreams had been; for now they were no longer the fascinations of his imagination, but reality. Pure reality.

And then her hands pushed him against his chest; angrily, forcefully.

She was pushing him away. Like a magnet that could not be attracted.

His reality shattered.

He let his arms drop reluctantly, then took a step back. Just a small step; more of an inch than anything. Their noses still almost touched. She looked up into his face, her mouth curved down into a snarl, her voice dripping with outrage and disgust. She hated him, she truly did _hate_ him.

"If you ever, ever, _ever_ presume to touch me again like that I will guarantee you that you will not live to see the following morning. _Do you understand_?"

"No."

"No?!" She cried incredulously.

"No; I do not understand," he told her.

She stared at him, wondering if he would ever comprehend. "What do you mean? How can you not understand? Are you really _that_ mad?"

"I don't understand. That's all there is to it, really."

Alice seethed on the borderline of pure rage. "Well, allow me to _help_ you understand, okay? I am engaged. I am an engaged woman. I am getting _married_. Do you know what that means? That means I will _not_ be staying here, but will be leaving soon to marry a man. Not a madman. A man. There is a huge difference, I assure you. I have a family. I have a life. I have a man waiting for me. The only thing I _don't_ have is the patience to play these _stupid _little games with you!"

"Stupid little games? _Stupid_ little games? What _game_ do you think I'm indulging you with?" The Hatter demanded.

"I have no idea, but I doubt you know for yourself what your getting into."

"The only thing I know is that I love you," he told her. That was it. He told her.

The silly saying that prophecies 'the truth will set you free' is not quite true at all. Having said the truth the Hatter felt far from free; he felt awful and awkward and slightly embarrassed, wishing he had just kept his big, fat mouth shut.

"What makes you think you can just – What?" She rocked back on her heels, feeling as though she had been slapped rather than handed a bunch of roses.

"I love you," there it was again; he was surprised at how easily it rolled off his tongue.

Alice shook her head, trying to make sense of it. He loved her? Impossible. She knew that for a fact.

"You have no idea what your talking about," she reasoned with him, trying desperately to make him take back the infamous statement. She, too felt embarrassment take over, not quite sure as to what to do or say. She could run away from him, though it would be horribly impolite, but then again, he was not acting as the prime example of etiquette himself, really.

Her unsure comment flipped him, casting his mood in a full circle in a brilliant display of his neurotic mood swings. "Are you denying my love for you?" He asked her angrily.

Alice jumped back, desperate to help him find reason. "I'm just saying that – uh, your definition of love may be quite different to mine," she tried to reason with him again, hoping he might calm down and halt on the path to his anger.

"How dare you, you, you brat! I just tell you what should have been the best thing in your life and you're determined to ruin it! Why can't you just give in, JUST THIS ONCE!?!" He yelled at her, his hat bobbing at the lost temper. His dreams, his hopes, his plans; all ruined thanks to her self-righteous stubbornness.

Now it was Alice's turn to flare up. It did not happen often, but she felt she would be forgiven, seeing that the Hatter had gone too far this time. He would pay for his thoughtless speech and actions, even if she had to see to it herself.

"The best thing in my life?! You think you're the best thing to come into my life!?! Here's a newsflash, buddy; the 'best thing in my life' has insulted me, endangered me, driven me nuts, overpowered me, harassed me, wanted me to back down for him to _get his way_, wanted me to change _for him_, and hurt me! Well, _Mr._ Hatter, if you 'love' me as much as you claim you do, why won't you just leave me alone!? If you value my sanity, my well-being, my happiness why don't YOU JUST LEAVE! If you really care why can't you do what's best for me? I'll tell you why: because you're a SELFISH PIG WHO WANTS THINGS DONE HIS WAY."

The Hatter stared at her, stunned, truly listening to her for the first time in his life as she continued.

"Ha! And you tell me you 'love' me. How you toss that word around! Do you truly love me, Hatter, hmm? Can you honestly say you do? You barely know your own feelings, and yet you claim to have the most powerful, immovable, beautiful feelings for me the world has ever known! Can you claim that, truly!?! For goodness sake, you have to _act_ like your in love! Why don't you just be yourself and then see if you love me like you claim!?! That's what you've been doing all along, haven't you? The whole 'thoughtful' thing!! It's not even you!! Don't you understand!?! YOU ARE INSANE. CAN AN INSANE MAN EVEN LOVE?! I DON'T THINK SO!! SO JUST GO AWAY!! WE HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON!! I AM ENGAGED TO A MAN WHO LOVES ME!"

Alice threw herself down onto the ground, in exasperation, anger or exhaustion; perhaps all three. She drew her legs up against her chest and buried her head between her knees, wishing the earth would just split open and swallow her – right then and there. She couldn't face him – out of sheer hatred, embarrassment, confusion, regret and revulsion – she just couldn't face him ever again, not now – not ever. She was sure of it.

The Hatter spoke quietly for the first time, his eyes on nothing but the ground in front of him, unable to face her properly, either. His mood had flipped yet again, turning his sour face into soft putty, his stance almost fatherly as if he were reproving a wrong child. "Alice, does this man you are engaged to love you by your definition, by my definition, or by his own definition?"

Alice risked a glance upwards, puzzled by the strange question. "What?"

"Just answer the question, Alice," he instructed her, his mood still patient.

"Well – I – he – uh..."

The Hatter gathered this was the best answer he would be receiving. "So if you have allowed his definition to satisfy you, why won't you learn about mine? Or is his definition even good enough for you at all? Does he truly love you Alice?" The Hatter's voice was soft; patient.

"I – he – I think so..."

Ignoring her incoherency, he pressed on. "Well, okay then.; next question. Does he love you more than I do?"

"Uh – well, uh – I don't know..."

"Well, okay Alice. So if you don't know, don't I deserve a little time to give you the opportunity to find out? You know, just to be sure?" His voice echoed through the woods, still the patient reasoner.

"Um, I – I, well, you would think it made sense..."

The Hatter suppressed a triumphant grin, and did his best to keep his calm countenance. "Alright Alice, listen carefully, because this one is the most important question of all – it's all about you – that's why. You ready? Okay; Do you love the man you're engaged to? And I don't care whose definition it's by."

"What?! How can you ask such a – uh, well....uh...you can't just-"

"Just answer the question Alice. Give me a 'yes' or a 'no.'"

"No." She said it. She had really said it, although she had been planning to say yes. How had that come about?

"Then it's settled," the Hatter told her triumphantly, not bothering to disguise his grin anymore, "I officially have five days to change your mind, and if you don't, I will personally show you the way out of Wonderland, whether the things you may leave behind you are resolved...or not."

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**Well then – its official! There may be five or so (possibly more?!) more chapters to this story till its over!! (Gosh, thats _a lot_ of plot I have to fit in to five chapters! Oh well, I shall do my best!)**

**lol - poor Hatter...rejection is tough. Someone give him a cookie. **

**Review? Anyone?**


	12. Chapter 12: Victoria is for Victory

**Wow! I've gotten this chapter up quick! And sorry if its a bit long, but, well, I kind of like them that way....(please don't throw things at me – dives under a fort)**

**hey-and thank you again for your awesome reviews – you wont believe how much they really do push me on. I'll give individual thank-yous at the bottom – cause I just need to spread the love and tell y'all how brilliant you guys are (sniffs at all the love)**

**I think this is one of my favorite chapters yet, so I hope you guys like it too!**

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The Hare had been twitching nervously for the past hour, wondering what could be holding his two friends up for so long. True, it was not unusual for the Hatter to be late for anything – he was always getting either distracted, undecided, grumpy or lost – but for Alice to be missing such a long time as well was unheard of. Once again, he wished he had accompanied them on this rather daring expedition, though secretly glad whatever may have eaten them on their adventure had not touched himself. He drew out a somewhat grateful sigh, his left eye twitching neurotically. Anxious glances were continually thrown at the clock (that did not tell time) then back to the woman sitting in his lounge room like he was watching a tennis match. The woman was staring out at nothing, waiting impatiently for the same pair as he. Clock. Woman. Clock. Woman. Clock. Woman. Clock. Woman:

She was magnificent, well, she would have been, if she had not been so truly terrifying to the Hare. Her long robes were made of velvet, and seemed to shimmer in any position she found herself in, whether it be a dark corner or blinding sunlight. She sat on the couch – which was shabby in comparison to the woman who adorned it – with her back ram-rod straight, never flinching, never twitching – a stark comparison to the man (or rather animal) who owned the house. She faced away from the Hare at all times, her eyes never quite seeing what was in front of her, yet taking in every detail there was to be found. She did not belong in the room, in the house; in this part of the kingdom. _She belongs in the castle_, the Hare thought to himself, _doing all those castle-y things_...

Victoria herself was growing quite concerned over the missing pair. Not in the way that she may be worried for their welfare, but in the sense she had so much left to do, and could not bare being held up like this. Several scenarios filtered through her mind as entertainment to pass the idle minutes – all of which ended in her leaving this dreadful house rather abruptly, or finally finding the opportunity to conquer the kingdom once and for all. Whichever way the scenario ended, a small smile spread at the corners of her dark red lips. The smile vanished immediately, though, upon remembering where she was, and why. Not only was the state of the house she was waiting in a complete mess, but she had important meetings and people she must attend to later this day. It was a rare thing – for Victoria to go into common territory to seek someone out – even if it was the notorious Alice. She bit back a blood-thirsty sigh as Alice's face drifted into her thoughts, ignoring at the same time the Hare's bizarre twitching.

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Oblivious to the party waiting to greet them back where they belonged, the Hatter and Alice trekked along the path in silence, avoiding any physical contact or conversation, each one lost in their own thoughts. Conversation had been attempted, though it ended rather abruptly the first time they tried, from either Alice being too embarrassed or the Hatter being too straight-forward. Either way, they did not try again. So they resorted to trekking their way in pensive silence, tripping every now and again over the bushy earth, the other too self-conscious or frightened to help the other one up should they happen to take a particularly nasty fall. So Alice, a little too gratefully, was left to nurse her own thoughts.

Her thoughts, if anyone should care to know, where filled with problems and questions she was not accustomed to dealing with. Not that she had much experience with Queen-hating-her problems or Why-are-they-trying-to-kill-me questions, though in a sense they were far easier to deal with to Alice. Matters of romance and the like, were virtually uncharted territory for Alice.

True, she _was_ engaged, and you would _think_ she would be able to deal with the sentiments spelled out earlier a little more confidently, but it was not the case. She found herself nervous (for an understatement), perplexed, horrendously embarrassed, a little mystified and thoroughly confused when it came to her 'Hatter' situation. Time and time again she would catch herself risking a glance up at the Hatter (who strolled remarkably confidently at her side) and blush profusely. _Stop it_, she shouted to herself in her head, _deal with this rationally_. She tried very, very, very hard to remember what 'rational' actually was.

And then she would blink, stopping on the path for a split second, and realize she should not even be thinking about it the way she was. What a fool she had been to actually blush whenever the Hatter's eyes would seek out hers! _What he said wasn't even true_, she told herself with new-found confidence. Unconsciously, she raised her head up a little higher, blush fading a little from her cheeks. The thought made her so much more comfortable. _So stop acting like a fool, and he will forget about the whole silly idea in time. _Why, Alice even believed he had probably forgotten about the whole random outburst already, by the way he was whistling so cheerfully and care-free. _There now_, she smiled to herself, _it's all over_.

"In time, Alice, you will see," the Hatter's intimate, yet cheerful whisper came to her ear unexpectedly.

Alice sighed to herself, _there goes that idea_, she thought grudgingly.

On the flip side of the coin, the Hatter's thoughts were relatively cheerful. He had convinced Alice into his terms, he had managed to keep her in Wonderland for a secured amount of time, Alice was still alive after their ghastly encounter, and the mud on the bottom of his shoes had removed itself for him. Yes, from his point of view, life was working out pretty darn swell. He beamed to himself as he remembered another blessing; _And Hare has restocked on the green tea._ Yes; life was definitely working out to his advantage.

Only one thing did bother him (apart from the fact the girl he loved was being hunted down, and himself, too, for that matter); perhaps what Alice had said to him was true. He may have succeeded in making her stay, but he had not secured anything. Not yet. And what did she mean; he did not love her? Of course he loved her! She was beautiful, young, made an exceptionally good pot of tea, and was, well, Alice. But that was it really, he loved the fact she was Alice. Why couldn't she see that? What else was there to be expected of him? He angrily kicked up some dirt with the toe of his shoe, then cursing himself as it stuck itself there.

"And just when I thought I could have gotten rid of you," he told it.

"_Excuse_ _me_?" Alice twirled around in shock.

"Not you," Hatter murmured somewhat sheepishly.

Apart from all that, the Hatter saw it all working out rather swell. The Alice in his mind was not so far off as everyone else seemed to think she was. _They're all blind_, he thought to himself confidently, _it'll be a piece of cake_.

Alice just sighed to herself, wishing to be anywhere but here.

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Hare was the first to hear the sound of their approaching footsteps. He wasted no time in making Victoria aware of the fact, and joyously related the good news.

"They're back! They're back!" He cried, jumping on the spot as he did so.

"Really," Victoria replied, more of a statement than a question. Her tone was disinterested, but her eyes shone with the thought of making it to the conference she had next half an hour early. She allowed herself a small smile, and no more.

A nervous Alice and victorious Hatter were practically dragged across the threshold, being rained upon by a series of complicated explanations as to their guest waiting in the next room. Alice had to cut him off.

"Who is it, though?" She asked, praying it would bring him straight to the point.

"The Queen," he responded innocently. The Hatter and Alice both stared at him in shock. Before their expressions could turn from confusion to excitement, the Hare corrected his statement, seeing it had been misapplied.

"No, no, no - I mean...the Queen Lady. You know...the _Queen_ Queen. Not _the_ Queen. Uh – what's her name?"

Their faces fell instantly. "Victoria," the Hatter flatly supplied the name.

"That's the one...'Viccy'," Hare winked at them in good humor.

At this the Hatter shook his head quickly, "no, no – you can't call her 'Viccy.' You call her Victoria when she's not standing in as the Queen."

"But I want to call her Viccy," the Hare pouted defiantly, then turned to address Alice in a sulking tone, "why can't I call her Viccy?"

Alice put a firm hand on his furry shoulder, her tone disapproving. "Because it isn't proper to give people like her such informal nicknames."

"Aww," he whined, "but I want to call her Viccy!"

"No," Hatter was definite.

"Victo?" Hare suggested innocently.

"No."

"Victo-to?"

"No."

"Vic-mister?"

"No!"

"The Vic-anator!"

"No!!"

"VIC-ARINA!" The Hare was particularly excited about this one.

"NOOO!!"

This final refusal came shrieking from Victoria herself, who was now standing in the doorway, having heard their entire discussion. Her eyes were seething with irritation as she addressed the three of them collectively. "I . HATE . NICKNAMES – YOU WILL NEVER CALL ME ANYTHING BUT 'MISS VICTORIA' OR 'YOUR MAJESTY' – DO . YOU . UNDERSTAND ME?!"

The three fell silent, paralyzed by such an impressive outburst of rage, most of all, over nicknames. They each waited for the other to speak. Eventually the role was passed to Alice, who found herself being stared at expectantly, as if it were her role to perform the ceremony.

"Uh," she bit her lip, raking her brain to find something respectable and proper to say after such an outburst, "we – we meant no disrespect, your majesty. Uh – we, uh – uh.....may I ask why you are here Miss Victoria?" The question popped out of her mouth quicker than she had anticipated.

The question seemed to remind Victoria herself, and her eyes quickly lit up with awareness as she resumed her collected stance and began to summon them to the couch as if nothing had happened. Once all were seated rather uncomfortably, Victoria spoke in a solemn voice; obviously the subject of her speech grieved her.

"The reason I came here today was to inform you of some troubling news I have just learnt myself from a _very_ reliable source," Victoria looked at them expectantly, as if they were already meant to understand after being given so little information, "_The Queen_, of course, you must have realized, is the subject of this grave news-"

"Is she dead?" Alice gasped, who couldn't help butting in.

"Unfortunately no," came Victoria's grave reply, "I just learnt this morning from...well, like I said – a _reliable_ source, who works in the – uh, _laboratory_ of the castle, that it has been discovered that the Queen, while working on the creation of this horrible disease, also managed to create a, uh..._potion_ that enables one to change to whichever form they choose. One cannot doubt that this miraculous potion was intended to be added to the disease – to make it stronger, and the cats it created with the very same ability. Well, as you must have assumed, as soon as she went missing all those years ago, I ordered for that horrible laboratory to be closed down, and be guarded by ten – no, _twenty_ guards and those terrible cats, the laboratory which, of course, also contained that potion. Well, I have just learnt that that potion is missing, and has been for some time. No other but the Queen is the culprit, so I felt I must deliver this news to you personally, so you may be on your guard. Uh – I have _heard_ rumors that you, Alice, are the one she is after. I felt compelled to tell _you_, Alice. I know this must be a grave complication to you."

"Indeed it is!" Cried Alice, taken aback by her knowledge that seemed already widely-known.

Victoria smiled at her eagerness, and took the opportunity while it would be most likely to be accepted. Besides, time was running short; the sooner the girl was out of the way the better.

"You know Alice," she began innocently, "it grieves me to see you driven about by that half-crazed old woman – and I mean that with all due respect to the Queen, of course – may I persuade you to take up residence in the palace walls? I shouldn't imagine that this house – or these companions – could provide you with the protection you will be needing at this time! Come back with me to the castle – even if just for a little while – and I will have guards protect you day and night, and set you up with a _very_ comfortable room. Come now, I insist." She smiled reassuringly once again.

"Well! That is kind-" Alice beamed at her. Perhaps this may not end so bad, after all. And an opportunity to get away from the Hatter! It seemed an opportunity too good to be true!

"-But unfortunately Alice cannot accept," the Hatter cut in hastily. He set a firm hand on top of Alice's, which had been resting on the armchair, as if his touch would be enough to keep her from getting up and following the woman out of the house.

"_What_?" Alice turned to him in a harsh whisper.

"We have ample security for Alice here, thank you very much. Your assistance will not be necessary. Thank you though, for the kind offer," he told Victoria coldly, never taking his hand of Alice's, or letting his eyes leave Victoria's.

Hmm. The Hatter would be a problem, Victoria suddenly realized. Whatever reason was preventing him from letting Alice go was not important, yet she wondered if the reason could be perhaps used to her advantage...She forced out a smile for them all, debating whether she should just be-rid of them all right there and then or wait for another opportunity. _Wait_, she amended in her head, _there is still time_. "Till next time then," she waved at them coolly, before leaving the room, then the house.

Alice was still glaring at the Hatter. "What was _that_ for?" She demanded.

Hatter merely glanced at Alice, his hand still firm against her own, "that was for your own good," he informed her.

"Okay," she shook his hand off hers angrily, "so you _do_ want to get rid of me! Did you miss something there? She was offering me protection! _Protection_!"

Hatter shook his head, still ignoring her cutting glare. "The only thing she was offering you, Alice, was...well, I don't quite know...but it certainly wasn't protection."

Alice rolled her eyes, exasperated. "You have _no_ idea what you're talking about, do you?!"

"You mean to tell me you actually _trust_ that woman? _You_ trust _her_?"

Alice hesitated. It was true, there was never something quite right about that woman, although, like the Hatter, she could never quite pinpoint what that something was. Her hesitation was enough for the Hatter to be an affirmative.

"Well, I'm glad to know you at least have instincts. We're getting somewhere," he sighed, shaking his head, "honestly, Alice, you really need to wisen up."

"Is that another one of you plans for the next five days?" She glared at him, secretly hoping her words may have reached a weak spot.

"Sure is," he replied cheerfully. Perhaps he would have said more if Alice had not have given him a death glare, clearly wishing for the subject to be closed.

"All in good time," he murmured to himself, "she just needs more time."

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Victoria had her back faced to the army. They were gathered in a small room underground the castle. One could marvel at the amount of cats and men were able to fit into the room, though they were squashed up together. They didn't mind, though, all they wanted to hear was Victoria's orders. Then they would be permitted to take life; then their blood lust would be quenched. Usually the room with it's blue stone walls would have been a comfort to Victoria. Not today. No, today she was restless, unable to keep herself from pacing as she snarled at the ground. Finally, she turned to face her followers, addressing them in a loud, clear voice:

"My friends, these are hard time, you would no doubt agree," a murmur of agreement accompanied this comment from the crowd, "but – if we proceed further as planned, then perhaps our luck will change."

At this a solitary soldier stepped forward and bowed down gracefully in front of his Queen. His voice was timid, but curious without a doubt. "My Queen, what will we do now that the Queen of hearts has taken advantage of the potion?"

Veronica stared at the man, who cowered slightly under her unmoving eyes. As if finally deciding the course of action, she addressed the audience once again, this time her voice confident and fiery, leaving her words ringing through the ears of everyone present.

"Kill the Queen of Hearts!" She shouted at them.

The crowd was in an uproar – they waisted no time in fulfilling their Queen's demand, and already many of them were galloping out of the room, prepared to face death itself just to claim to opportunity of bringing the former Queen to her knees. No one questioned it, and no one opposed – no hero urged them to come to their senses and begin a rebellion – no, Victoria watched with satisfaction as her blind followers stumbled over themselves with victory cries. As she watched, she mulled spurring words into their ears, like honey to their minds as they raced out.

"Find her. Hunt her. Kill her. I don't care how you do it, or who must die in order for it to be done. Be reckless – be ruthless, I don't care. As long as it is accomplished. Just remember, Victoria is Victory! _Victoria is Victory!_" She repeated into their ears – into their hearts. It was her chant, her life.

"Victoria means Victory! Victoria _is_ Victory!" They chanted back at her in unison again and again, an army of parrots mimicking her every word and action as they filed out of the room. Five left, four left, three left, two left, one left...And then she was alone again.

And it was only then she could smile to herself at her success.

Unexpectedly, the same solitary soldier came back into the room, bowing as he did so, and never quite straightening up. His voice still held the awe and esteem that was so common in her followers, and as he spoke, he must have never felt worthy enough to look his Queen in the eye. His words were apprehensive; hungry.

"And my Queen, when will we be able to kill the girl? When will you grant us Alice's life?" His eyes shone with wanting.

Victoria smiled at him warmly, taking a particular liking to this one. "My friend, if you find and then kill the Queen – alone or with others – I will let _you_ be the one to claim her life."

The soldier relaxed. "Thank you, my Queen," he purred, satisfied.

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"This is bad," the Hare established for the seventh time.

Hatter and Alice looked at each other and sighed. The news itself was bad enough, but having the fact reiterated constantly was even worse.

"Yes," Alice told him severely, "we know that."

"She could be _anyone_ now," Hare pointed out bleakly.

"Yes," sighed the Mad Hatter, "we know that, too. And _have_ known it for the past hour."

"Absolutely anyone," the Hare continued, still lost in his bleakness, "I mean it could even be me. Or you. Or Alice. She could even be a tree," then the Hare gasped, a possibility hitting him most acutely, "she could even be my tea. I have just drunk my tea. Oh God! _I've drunk the Queen!_" He moaned while rubbing his belly.

"Stop it, Hare – you haven't drunk anyone," Alice told him.

"Yet," he continued to moan.

"This is ridiculous," Hatter sat up from the table, leaving his dinner untouched, "how is one meant to get anywhere without the possibility of death or tea following them?! I'm leaving!" With a huff he left the room.

"Where are you going?" Alice called out after him.

"Away," he said from over his shoulder, agitated at the way his perfectly splendid day had ended in such a heap.

"I'm coming," Alice dove for the opportunity to escape the Hare's morbid thoughts without thinking, "wait for me! I need my coat!"

The Hatter did wait, in fact, he froze. He hadn't expected to have company, and where he was going...well, he couldn't bring Alice there. No way. She came bounding up to him, but he halted her with a firm hand held up high. "You," he pointed at her, as if she could miss the fact that he was speaking to her, "are not coming."

"What is this?" Alice asked, irritated, "reverse psychology?"

"You can't come," he put his foot down.

"I don't have time for this," she told him airily as she pushed past him, signaling for him to follow. "I'm coming – whether you like it or not."

"I'm rather afraid if _you_ shall like it or not."

"I'm coming," she pouted stubbornly.

The Hatter was momentarily distracted by this, but proceeded to shake off any feelings it may have stirred in him. "Fine," he worked to make his voice harsh, though failed miserably.

She allowed him to walk beside her, though she could feel his nervousness emanating from every inch of his skin. It made her jumpy, wondering what could put the happy-go-lucky-Hatter in such a somber mood. She was about to ask, but decided to bite down her curiosity, thinking her questions may bring on another unwanted declaration. She shivered uncomfortably at the thought.

The Hatter halted so abruptly she almost slammed into him. "What-" she began to ask.

"We go," he gestured dramatically to the tree, "in there."

Alice stared at the average, unmoving tree. "And – you're being serious?" She wondered if they were seeing the same thing.

"Of course I am." His eyes bored into hers.

"O-Okay," she worked to make her voice enthusiastic, though it delivered a little shakily.

He stepped up to the large tree, an placed one steady hand against the bark. Then he seemed to change his mind; he turned to Alice, almost pleadingly.

"You don't have to come, I'm – I'm worried it may upset you," his eyes told her he was desperately trying to find a way out of this.

"What could possibly worry me more than you claiming our destination is somewhere in that tree? Where are we going, anyway?" Alice could not bring herself to do the right thing and obey the Hatter's wishes. She needed to know where he was going, and why it was such a secret. She did not fully understand the need, but nevertheless, it was there.

"Something that – well, you might as well see for yourself. I – I can't really explain it with words, you see," he seemed bothered by the idea, but conceded to her company. Once again, he placed his hand against the bark of the tree – in the exact same spot it had been before – and gently pushed.

Bright light seemed to stream out of the grain in the shape of a doorway. It almost blinded Alice, and she hastily covered her eyes with an arm. So _that's_ what happens when you push against a tree. Who knew.

The Hatter descended into the tree, which Alice now understood to be some sort of linking door to another place. Tentatively, she let herself be guided by him inside, where she forced her eyes closed against the blinding white light. She felt the bark swing close behind her, and immediately the light faded, and she could see again. She looked around her. She blinked. She looked around her again, not quite willing to believe what she saw. It was unbelievable, it was fantastic, it was incredible, it was...

"Home?" Alice asked him tentatively, not sure if she was seeing the familiar sight in front of her.

He only nodded somewhat gravely in response – and true, there it was. Standing next to the Hatter it was as if she were standing on the edge of her front lawn (which was more like a football field, really), and saw the familiar gray house that stood grandly in the middle, it's three stories towering over any trees that should happen to be growing near it. It was there, right there; the real world. Her world. It was right in front of her eyes, and yet she still felt like she could not properly reach it. Hesitantly, she reached out toward it, only to have her fingers pressed up against a see-through wall. Where her fingers touched, it rippled. She tried to push against the barrier, but it would not yield. She felt her eyes cloud over with guilty tears, though never quite crying.

"This – this is where you intended to go? Without me? Why – why have you brought me here? Why can't I get there?" She felt betrayed, suddenly realizing the truth of the Hatter's warning; 'something that would worry her.'

Hatter sighed, as he realized this would need a long, truthful explanation. He drew a long breath, then decided he would start at the beginning. Besides, wasn't that the best place to start?

"I – I found this passage by accident, Alice. And as it happens, it only allows me through it," he turned to her now, looking down into her eyes with quiet wishes, "you know, it was years after you had left. I used to come here, and sometimes I would see you, Alice. I would see you running. You know what you look like when you run? You look like a stallion – and I mean that in a flattering way," he tacked that on rather awkwardly, before turning reflective again, "it made me want to reach out to you. You know, I didn't realize who you were then, not even when you came to Wonderland. I thought – well, you remember it...but obviously I couldn't get to you."

He reached out, only to have his hand hit the same barrier Alice encountered. He sighed with some ancient sadness Alice had never heard before.

"I saw you so often – out there on the lawn, in amongst the trees. Then sometimes at night I would come here to star gaze. From your world, the night sky is so simple – so beautifully simple. It was enough to make a madman believe he could be sane," he sighed again, his breath heaving with sadness and longing.

"So this is where I come to think. I come here to escape the problems and eccentricities of Wonderland sometimes – I come to your world, where insanity is the sane, and life can be calculated and lived by a chequebook, and imagine what it would be like to be running on that lawn with you – in your world." Alice could not look at him anymore without her breath coming uneasily, so she resorted to staring out unseeingly at the lawn eclipsed by the moonlight, imagining what the Hatter may have imagined all those nights. She saw the Hatter, in her minds eye, standing where she now stood, picturing a young woman and young man with a large top hat race across the lawn like, well - stallions, as the Hatter so eloquently put it.

The Hatters voice, if possible, grew even quieter. "So no, I did not bring you here to torment you, or tease you with your home where you want to be so close, yet so far (how cliché!). The only reason I really allowed you to come with me, well, I wanted to be truthful with you, and I wanted to show you I'm a man of my word. I swear I can take you back to your world through this very door at the end of these five days if you wish me to. I'm a man of my word," as he repeated himself his voice lowered to agony, a sober thought tormenting his usually playful mind.

"You must hate me – you must hate all of us!" He groaned, forcing Alice to look up at him. "I swear," his voice was determined, although his face looked as though it would break from the very thought, "I _will_ bring you back at the end of this. I will." He took Alice firmly by the shoulders, his eyes boring into hers, trying somehow to make her feel the conviction, desperation and hopelessness he felt at that very moment, "I _will_," he promised her nobly.

"I know," she whispered to him, then rested her head against his chest, still shocked at all he had told her. He cradled her head against his chest, before placing a gentle kiss on the crown of her head, allowing himself to go no further. He could never do anymore for her. He felt as if his heart were about to break.

"_I will_," he seemed to be telling himself more than her, as if willing his heart to beat again, even if it meant beating in a world where all he could do was watch Alice run along her lawn behind a glass wall.

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**I have to say, I really enjoyed writing this chapter – although I have **_**just**_** finished now and it's about 1 o'clock in the morning. Awe – I've been pushing Hatter to his limits lately, I feel so bad for him :( And I know he kind of did a whole 180 in this chapter – at the start he's all confident, but I guess by the end I really wanted to show a side of him that deeply cared for Alice**

**Oh yes! And GOOD NEWS (I hope you guys will think its good, more importantly) I have set up a new story line (its started to show itself in this one) , so that I can create a SEQUEL! I just love this pairing, so I cant give up on them after just one story!!! yes or no?**

**Ah yes, and thank you for the cookies for Hatter!! (although he might need some more – he's been having such a rough time lately) mmm...cookies....**

**Individual thank-yous:**

**StrawberryKousagi:**** (takes cookie gratefully) thanks! Yeah, Alice was kind of harsh, but just wait, she'll be putty in his hands in no time....muah ha ha....lol**

**Sandcastleleashes****: Thank you sooo much! I loved reading your review, and I get what you mean about it perhaps taking a little longer than expected, so hopefully this chapter can be a nice balance between suspense and adventure!!! thank you! **

**LizzySkellington****: Thank you so much!!**

**Verity Strange****: I've got to hand it to you – you're a thinker!!! I can't praise you without giving anything away so I'll just say you're awesome!!! :P and yeah, she is a tad creepy lol**

**steamboatwillie1928****: lol, you little baker!!!! a whole plate – omg!! I have to give the Hatter a gym membership or something – holy cow!!! Thank you!!!**

**mutantsrocktheworld****: a shout out to you, cause you kept me going at the start of this little adventure we got going on here!!!**

**REVIEW . REVIEW . REVIEW ? Can we make it to 40 reviews??? want to help out?!? :P**


	13. Chapter 13:The Queen of Hearts is dead

**I'm on a role! I've got chapters popping out of my ears! Tee hee – the story has began it's spiral toward the grand final!!**

**A/N: To any readers who may find this first section to this chapter a little random (when its back in "reality-world" with Alice's mother) refer back to Chapter 10 – when Alice has her little 'fit' – it'll make more sense if you re-read that!**

**Disclaimer: I really do wish these were my original characters. I wish I created Wonderland. Sigh.....**

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Alice's mother stood straight, scolding while her face was pinched and unpleasant. The scolding was high-pitched and went on and on and on, the voice ringing through the house like a cat who got it's tail caught.

"...And if you think you can just waltz in here – whoever you are – and simply take whatever you 'need' from my daughter's _bedroom_, no less, then you are sorely mistaken, sir. In fact, I think you should just..."

She droned on and on while the soldier ignored her. He continued to gallop through the girl's room, looking and looking and searching and searching. Every drawer was opened and every corner checked. He continued his search while the woman kept scolding. He was really beginning to get sick of it all...surely one small bump to the head would do no harm...

"....Not to mention that I have no idea who you are, even if you do claim to be an 'acquaintance' of Alice, well young man, if you are so well 'acquainted' with her, perhaps you know where she is!! so I suggest you just get out now..."

The young man ignored her still, not hesitating for a moment under her snarls. Besides, he was under orders, and it was a good thing the he had been in the Queen's particular good graces as of late. The solitary soldier smiled to himself, reassured of the fact.

"...are you even listening to me?!? I SAID GET OUT NOW! GET OUT BEFORE I INFORM THE AUTHORITIES! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU FOOL!..."

Sighing, the young man twisted around to face the older woman properly for the first time. She must have seen the 'I'm really sick of all that noise you're making' expression on his face and the large bat he was holding in his hand, as her own face swiftly shifted to an expression of horror and surprise. Without any more ceremony, he thumped her on the head with the bat, sending her flying to the floor with a spectacular _thud_. He grinned over her unconscious form with such vigor it would put the Cheshire cat to shame.

"I'm sorry," he pretended to look sincere, "I truly am – but I'm working here, and you were _really_ starting to grate on my nerves."

He turned back to the disheveled room, slightly annoyed he hadn't found what he was looking for yet. He stood in the middle of the blue rug, thinking of where he should check next. He spotted an untouched cupboard, and grinned at it like it was his next victim.

"So," he spoke to no one but himself, "now it's time to take matters into my _own_ hands." He glanced at the clock on the wall, seeming startled at the time.  
"Don't worry Alice," his smile turned sour, "I'll be joining you shortly."

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Alice lay in her bed as early morning rays welcomed her to the day, listening to the sound of her own even breathing.

She smiled luxuriantly to herself, stretching out as if she were the Cheshire cat in a gloriously good mood. The sun had come out particularly well, her sheets were still crisp, and her hair was still smooth and soft – opposed to the usual wild tangle it often got itself into during the night. What was there not to smile about? With a jolt of agony, her good mood faded as memories of the previous night came flooding back to her with painful force.

_Nothing happened_, she told herself firmly. She winced slightly as the memories continued to push against her mind, willing themselves to be embraced and recognized. _Stop it_, she thought to herself angrily, _stop it, stop it, stop it. You are engaged, Alice. You cant believe a word he says; you are engaged._

Yes, she was engaged. The ordinary fact caused Alice to reach for her ring on her finger; a reflex reaction for whenever Arthur entered her thoughts (which was an uncommonly rare thing nowadays), but as she felt for the rather awkwardly large diamond, only bare skin met her touch. Concerned, she looked down, praying that her eyes might spy what her fingers could not.

It's gone?

Panic built up in her chest as she checked again, and then again. Frantically, she leapt out of bed and began searching the tidy room for any sign of a shimmer or a sparkle. Objects and clothes were thrown about over her head as she dug into every nook and cranny. Straightening herself, she wondered if she had lost it during one of his small misadventures. No, no, no, no; she couldn't have lost it, she couldn't afford to have lost it! It was worth a goldmine, surely she would have been not so careless as to simply drop such a valuable thing? No, perhaps she had just misplaced it...

"Looking for something?" Came a familiar voice from her doorway, the smirk practically audible.

Alice spun around in surprise, sending more of the room flying, only to find the Hatter grinning lazily at her, his arm outstretched as her ring was pinched nimble between his two forefingers. He used his other hand to perform a 'well, come and get it then' motion.

Blushing furiously, though glad she had already out on her dressing gown, she took tentative steps toward him till she managed to retrieve the lost treasure from his tight grasp.

"Uh – thanks?" She said this like a question, "how – how did you...?" She trailed off, baffled by it all.

"How did I find it?" He finished her question for her. He grinned at her apparent confusion, happy to indulge her with the tale of his heroic finding. "It was in your dress pocket."

"Oh," was all Alice could express to such an extraordinary piece of trivia, then she blushed again, "and, uh, what were you doing in the pockets of my dress?"

This seemed to make the Hatter hesitant, but not in a way Alice had expected. "Yeah, well, that actually brings me to some bad news." He bit down onto his bottom lip, his forehead creased.

"Bad news? What bad news?"

The Hatter sighed, his playful countenance being abandoned for a far sober, morbid face. "I'm afraid earlier this morning we encountered an...unpleasant visitor."

"Here – in this house?" Alice asked, wondering what would be so unpleasant about that.

"No, I mean here – in this room," his eyes looked worried.

Alice froze. "Well, come on!" She was impatient for the details, "tell me what happened!"

Hatter sighed deeply again, his head unconsciously rolling to one side, making a recent flesh wound on the side of his neck obvious. "I heard some rattling up here a few hours ago – at first I disregarded it – thinking it was only you. It continued, and, well – I got worried, so I came up to check. I was greeted by a young soldier, who works for 'the Queen,' as he told me-"

"Queen?" Alice cut him off momentarily, "Which Queen?"

The Hatter just shrugged, his broad shoulders slumping in a way that made Alice realize how exhausted he must be. "Who knows? He didn't say which one – not that you would expect him to, really," he added with a humorless chuckle, "I – I thought he was going to kill you. But instead, he just had a heap of your clothes in his hands. _'The girl's scent for the cats – makes her easy to hunt down'_ he had told me before leaping toward the window. I tried to grab a hold of him, but he slashed at me with his knife," Hatter motioned to the nasty gash on the side of his neck, "I managed to save this pretty blue dress though - Lord knows you'll need _something_ to wear," he added rather cheekily, "and so, in the pockets of that dress I found that ring." He concluded the small horror story with a triumphant smile, signaling to Arthur's ring in her palm. Seeing the ring in her possession again seemed to cast a shadow over his mood, though, and he dropped his voice one octave lower.

Throughout this rather graphic account, where the Hatter found small, dry jokes to make himself chuckle, Alice had been staring at him in horror. Cats. After. Her.

"That's your engagement ring, isn't it?" He tried his best to conceal his bitterness, but longing and grief still shone through his eyes. "Funny – you said it was just a gift when I first asked you about it."

Alice sighed, hating herself when she hurt him like this. It was impossible to keep him happy, and her former life going at the same time. She knew all too well that at one stage, she would have to choose.

No; she would only have to carry out the decision – she had already made her choice long ago.

"Yes; this is the ring my future husband gave to me," she told him solemnly, hoping his would take the subtle hint, and at the same time wishing he wouldn't. She knew his words would cut him, but she knew he would get over it in time. Well, she hoped he would get over it, she truly hoped.

Saying those words brought about an acute aching in her own chest. She was already filled with sadness; picturing her future life with Arthur in gray monotones, but there was no other choice. She saw no other choice. It was enough to make her heart break, the pain the realization brought her, but she would have been able to stand that; her pain was bearable, it was only the agonizing pain that had twisted on the Hatter's face that made it unbearable to her. She could allow herself to suffer, but not the Hatter.

The Hatter understood her perfectly, she could tell by the way his face collapsed, as if he had built himself a dream, and someone had come up and snatched it from him. He tried to smile at her, but his lips only managed to part slightly, his attempted laugh coming out as a short cough as his eyes shone wet with tears. She meant it, she really did mean what she had said. He understood her meaning perfectly, but he had to remind her, he had to, just to give his heart the ability to function.

"Please," he whispered to her pleadingly, unable to help himself, "five days."

Alice sighed. "It won't help, Hatter," she tried to soften her words, but she knew in the end anything she could do or say would be to no avail, "time won't change my decision. I'll follow along with your 'five days,' but...but I don't want to give you all that time to get your hopes up, because I _know_ I'll just be crushing them in the end. And I don't want to see you crushed."

"No," Hatter began to tremble, frightened she may be demanding to be brought home now, "please – Alice – don't do this..."

She held up one finger. "But I agreed to five days, so I will carry out my promise. I just wanted to warn you, that's all." She sighed softly to herself, knowing she was going to hurt him in the end.

And she hated herself for that.

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Under Victoria's orders, the army of men and cats were combing the forests and woods, seeking out the villages and towns, and prowling though houses at any time of day, their goal nothing but finding the Queen. And once she was found; death would soon follow.

And then her death would bring about Alice's – which all of the army anticipated with great eagerness.

But where was the Queen in all this eagerness?

She was alone, smiling to herself as she saw five cats stealth their way right past her. _Idiots_, she thought to herself lazily.

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Victoria was happy. It is a simple word to describe her state; but the feeling was so genuine within her veins, it would be a lie to describe her otherwise. She was happy for so many things. First, the messenger she had sent out had returned unharmed, carrying a fist full of clothes that Alice had worn – that had made her happy. Secondly, the young soldier who she found herself relying on increasingly had also returned – from the above realms – claiming it was true Alice had a family, and even a future-husband waiting for her – that trivia had made her quite happy; now her plans would run so much smoother knowing that. And thirdly, she had just sent out a news-bearer to declare the unhappy news. She smiled to herself as she recalled her instructions to him.

"_Announcer?" She had called him over to her privately._

_He looked apprehensive as he immediately responded to her lazy call, running to station himself before her. He had dropped to one knee. "Yes, Miss Victoria?"_

_She smiled ruefully at him, though she did her best to look forlorn. "I need you to announce some unhappy news, dear sir," she heaved a heavy sigh._

_He looked up at her, startled yet curious. "And what news may that be, m'lady?"_

_She sighed again, lowering her eyes in pain. "All Wonderland must know that the Queen of Hearts has been found dead."_

_His jaw had dropped, and he cast a quick look around him. He spoke to her again, but this time in a hushed whisper. "But...but, m'lady, thats...thats not true – she is missing; not dead."_

_Her entire act dropped, and faster than he could regret his words, she had flicked out a small knife from her sleeve, her eyes glowering at him as her words were dark and threatening. "I could always get a new messenger if you are not up to the job..." Inconspicuously, she gently pushed the tip of the blade against where his heat would be, pressuring it enough so it tore through his uniform, but not quite puncturing the skin._

"_No," he stammered, gulping hard, "I am capable Miss Vic...Your majesty, I am loyal; Victoria is for Victory." He displayed his allegiance by quoting the oath._

"_Good," she purred before releasing him from her grasp._

_He stumbled away, relating the same news to the rest of the messengers, who looked shocked, but otherwise nodded dutifully to their future Queen._

_Victoria smiled. Now it was only a matter of time._

Victoria was still smiling; no doubt the word had spread throughout Wonderland already. It was simply a matter of finishing off the Queen for real, silencing Alice and any that stood with her, and then she could claim the crown peacefully. Perhaps it had been too much to convince the civilians the Queen of hearts was dead, but in all honesty, once you start something like this there is no real boundaries anymore. All there is are levels of insanity. With the throne so close, why not speed things up and seize the opportunity? Yes; Victoria was happy.

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Upon hearing the 'unhappy' news, Alice, Hatter and Hare sat numbly at the table, having no appetite and absolutely no conversation. Each once was lost to their individual fears, each one seeing their what could have been reasonably happy future mangle and twist into a pit of nothing. The Queen was gone. The Queen of Hearts was dead. They stared into their hands, wondering what this meant for them, and in particular, what it meant for Alice.

Alice was the first to speak, her uncertain voice filling the air after such a dismal silence.

"Does," she paused, considering the question hesitantly, "does this mean I'm safe now?"

Hare stared at the table, trying to swallow the news rather than his scones. "One would think so," he whispered quietly, though for some reason he didn't feel relieved.

"So it's over," Hatter felt the skepticism in his own voice, "it really is over." The Hatter couldn't believe it. He was glad for Alice, but the gladness was washed away by the ocean of agony he felt at the news. With Alice no longer being pursued, with the promise of a better Wonderland, what was the point in her staying any longer? The only thing she would stay for would be himself, the Hatter, and she already had made it quite clear that '_they_' would never happen. _So this is it_, he mused painfully, fighting back the tearing sensation in his chest, _she'll be gone; out of our lives – for good._

Freedom was what Alice should have been feeling; she should have been flying on her feet, but instead she felt bleak; pointless. If she was now safe, why did she still feel as though she were being hunted?

"This doesn't feel right," she managed to put out, and didn't need a response to know that the others felt the same queer sensation.

"Alice," the Hatter finally found the courage to look at her directly, "I don't believe the Queen of hearts was _ever_ hunting you."

Alice turned pale, knowing that the words he spoke were only too true; why, she should have known it all along! The only problem was, that whoever _had_ been hunting her, was alive and well...

"If not she," Alice cast a frantic look at the Hatter, "then who?"

Before he could respond, there was howling in the distance, as the growls of the Queen's cats ripped through the villages, right through into the Hatter's ears. They were far away, but it would not take them long to get here – especially having Alice's scent...

"Quickly!" He ordered, practically bounding out of his chair.

"Where are we going?" Hare asked, dazed by the sudden burst of energy.

"Out of here!" Was all the Hatter managed to reply, before another howl from the cats brought them to a standstill – they were closer; they were already much closer.

Her pulse hammering in her ears, Alice leapt up and pushed them all into action. She teared down the hall to grab her coat (rational in all situations) and bounded out the door after the Hare and Hatter. "Which way?" She cried, seeing as no one was moving. The Hatter thought for a moment, then something clicked – Alice could have sworn she saw a light bulb flash over his head for a brief instant.

"Follow me," he ordered, running out the front gate and down the path – running toward the sound of the approaching growls. He continued to bolt, unfazed by the fact he was leading them _toward_ the army of cats.

"Are you mad?" Alice yelled from behind him, her knees quaking from all the pressure to keep pace with his long, lanky legs.

"Yes," he answered. He halted on the path, and this time Alice did crash into him.

"Warn someone before you do that," she grumbled from the ground.

"Hate me later," he informed her, then pressed his hand against a very familiar tree, "and get inside."

Ignoring the way the light scorched her eyes, she dived into the tree, feeling the Hare behind her as he followed suit. The Hatter was the last to jump in, closing the tree behind them just in time before the cats raced passed, their snarls barely audible from within the tree.

Alice drew along, deep breath, hating the way she was looking out at her peaceful home just moments after she had raced to escape an army of insanely barbaric giant cats.

"That was close," the Hare pointed out, his eyes half-paralyzed from the shock.

Alice furrowed her brow, kicking herself for not seeing the answer the whole time. "Victoria," she snarled the name under her breath, then released the air with a sigh, "should have known."

"Well, now we do," the Hatter laid a comforting on her shoulder, trying to subtly steer her with his hand so her back would face the view of her home, "at least we know the enemy now."

"But it's unfortunate how the enemy seems to know us so well already," she puffed.

"Viccy?" Hare seemed genuinely surprised at this new information, "don't tell me Viccy is the one on to us!"

Hatter sighed. "_Viccy_ most certainly is."

"Well," the Hare shook his head in frustration, "this changes things. We can't go back home anymore. She knows we're there-"

"Shh," Hatter commanded suddenly, clasping his hand over his friend's mouth.

"What is it?" Alice asked curiously.

"Hear that?" He whispered, leaning his head against the bark that stood opposite to the glass wall, listening to the muffled murmurs, "listen."

Alice and Hare followed his example, pressing their ears up to hear the conversation. A woman's voice was speaking.

"_I don't care what it takes – I just want her dead."_

Alice's stomach flipped.

"_Your highness, we have searched continually without any sign of her. No one has seen the Queen."_

"_Do I need to burn down the forest myself? GO AND FIND THE QUEEN, AND WHEN YOU DO, KILL HER."_

"_And Alice?"_

_There was a pause, then the woman's voice rang through. "No, leave her be for now. I want her for myself – we will not strike at her yet."_

"_As you with, m'lady"_

Silence.

Alice looked up at the Hatter, and he looked down at her.

"I won't let any of that happen to you," he dutifully swore. But he had misinterpreted the fear in Alice's clear blue eyes.

"Who cares what happens to me! Don't you see? The Queen is alive. Victoria is after the Queen – we have to find the Queen of hearts!" Alice shone with determination, her fist beating down on her open palm.

"Victoria is also after you. You are our priority, Alice," Hatter crossed his arms. Whatever little stubborn trick she would try to play on him, it wouldn't work, he was sure of it. He would not stand by and see Alice practically kill herself over some old Queen.

"No, Hatter," she told him earnestly, "if you give the Queen up for me, what good would that do? I would just go home and Wonderland would have no ruler. But if we tried to get to the Queen – even if it meant risking our live–_my_ life," she corrected herself; she would do it, but she would give the others a choice, "then at least Wonderland would still have it's rightful ruler."

"What if the Queen of hearts is not the rightful ruler?" Hare piped up.

"I believe any choice would be better than Victoria," she said.

Hatter watched her, knowing this girl simply _had_ to be losing her mind. "No," was all he offered.

"Hatter," Alice glowered at him, "don't be difficult."

"Alice," Hatter pleaded in return, "don't be foolish."

Hare glared at the two of them, knowing how their bickering could explode. "I'm out of here – I'll check to see what's going on out there."

"Be careful," Alice warned him as he turned to leave. A snort was all she received as a reply.

She was alone with Hatter in the tree. Again. She glowered up at him, unwilling to let any deja vu take hold of the atmosphere. She had expected a goofy grin on his face, but instead found him to be gazing out over the lawn, his face twisted down. "So," he muttered darkly, "here ends the second day."

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**Okay, I'm not overly excited about this chapter – it was kind of a 'fill in'...but I'll make up for it in Chapter 14! Maybe I'll re-write it, maybe I'll just deal with it....I dunno -we'll see how we go. Sigh....I hate being disappointed in your own writing......meh – I'll get over it. lol.**

**Anyone care to cheer me up with a review? Hint hint? Or even if you have any ideas to make this chapter better. P.S – the goal is still 40 reviews lol...come on, we can make it as a team! Lol – share the love!**


	14. Chapter 14: Ashes on the Third Day

**I'm back! I'm on holidays so I've just been writing and writing. Oh, and I've written the end (lol, I like to call it the "final showdown" ha ha) so that might be what's making it so easier to write!**

**Anyway, it has come to my attention it is time for some rrrrromance (thank you to Miya for reminding me – I agree)!!!! I'm just nervous to see how it turned out, so if there's any suggestions let me know!!!**

**Disclaimer: I disclaim all rights.**

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A sharp knock on the door sent her inkstand rattling.

Victoria set aside her schedule she had been mulling over momentarily. There was much to be done before the coronation, she had realized with a level amount of panic, and she could not afford these informal interruptions that kept knocking on her door, quite literally.

She muttered something un-lady like under her breath before ordering the person in.

"My Queen," the voice adorned after they have bowed respectfully, "I bring good news."

Victoria spun around expectantly, pleased to find her current favorite soldier before her, a manic grin plastered on his face as if he were barely keeping himself from holding his good news in.

"Then tell me quickly," she scolded, her foot tapping impatiently against the marble floor. Her checklist was still attached to her fingers, and it swayed in the air as it dangled.

"My Queen," he reached for something inside the folds of his rather worn jacket, "I bring you the ashes of the Queen of Hearts." Laying in the palm of his outstretched hand was a prettily embedded flask, promising to hold what he had declared.

Victoria stared at him, her mouth agape. "You-"

"Killed her, ma'am? I most certainly did," he replied with a slight shrug. To him, it was all part of the job.

She quickly regained her composure, though unable to help the small smile that was determined to stay on her face. "Make my day, good soldier; tell me how – and do not disappoint me."

He grinned at her, as if eager to share the gory details of his venture. "Well, your Highness, I have attained her ashes by burning down the house she had been hiding in. I would have been happier if I had her body to present to you, but it could not be the case – she was burnt to a crisp. I bring her ashes to you now, a symbol of my unswerving devotion to your rule."

"That is kind of you," she crooned, stroking the flask still balancing on his hand, "Tell me where it was that you found her and how."

At that the young man made a rather unpleasant growl, as if the question had bothered him, or brought back something sinister to his mind. "Those _stupid_ cats, your majesty, could not sniff her out. I, however, as I am a trained tracker, was able to find signs of her deep in the woods. I followed her to a small cottage where a simple, poor family lived. I believe because of their status, they had no idea who she was, and were persuaded to eventually let her in to stay with them. It was that night, ma'am, that I burnt down the house with the family of two small children, their pitiful parents and the Queen in it. I saw her myself perish as she stood by one of the windows. But those _stupid_ cats had been searching on the complete wrong side of the woods."

Victoria might have taken offense to his slander against _her_ cats, if had it not been for the admiration she felt when she saw the pure blood-lust that was evident in his eyes as he told her the account. _This one is a true warrior_, she thought to herself giddily. She envisioned him leading her armies in the final conquering of Wonderland; this soldier in front with his merciless, hunting eyes, while the rest of the bloodied pack followed. She enjoyed the image a great deal.

"And now, worthy soldier, tell me your name," she would have to remember him if any serious trouble arose.

He hesitated for a moment, before smiling at her. "I am Abaddon, at your service ma'am."

"Ah, Abaddon. The name means 'the destroyer' does it not?"

"Your Majesty is most correct, as always," he told her solemnly.

A small smile curved onto her lips knowingly. "And are you?"

He glanced up at her. "I am whatever her Majesty wishes me to be. If you wish me to be the destroyer, than I shall be the destroyer. I am your humble servant."

"Good."

He placed the flask on top of the antique writing desk she had been sitting at, as if standing it on a pedestal. He bent down to kiss one of her hands affectionately, a twinkle of mirth in his eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes," Victoria said somewhat hastily, "I know you are indebted. Now go away please – I have much to do."

"As the lady wishes," he withdrew his lips from her skin, and with a departing bow, was gone.

She waited a few minutes before clearing her voice.

"Messenger!" She called loudly at nowhere in particular.

"Yes, your majesty?" A small man's head popped round the corner of her room. She might correct all these subjects who kept referring to her as that, as her coronation had not taken place yet, but she felt no need. Besides, she had considered herself Queen of Wonderland for a very long time now.

She did not look at him as she spoke to him, instead she gazed at the spot where Abaddon had stood, a weary, tired look on her face. "I want you to gather a few men and search on the opposite side of the woods to where they are now. I want you to look for the remnant of a burnt-down cottage that should be in the heart of the woods. If you find nothing, alert me immediately."

"As you wish, your majesty," he was about to go.

"Wait," she called suddenly, and he turned back quickly, "also, make sure the lab is guarded – we wouldn't want anyone to interrupt while the testing is taking place – it would be, uh, rather..._disastrous_ for them."

"Yes, your majesty," he combined a nod with a bow and scampered down the hallway, his small voice barking orders at all those around him. Victoria was left to stare at the small flask on her desk. After a few moments, she smiled at it hesitantly, and left it on her desk as a reminder of her success.

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Alice could no longer stand it.

She had been receiving morbid comments from the Hare, and longing looks from the Hatter all morning. You would think one had more to do considering Victoria was after her, but after failing numerous attempts to find the Queen of Hearts, and hearing from a certain flower that the very same Queen's remains were on display, all there seemed to be able to do was avoid those morbid comments and longing looks.

She had been able to persuade the Hatter to leave her in his 'special spot' alone. He had looked uncomfortable leaving her there with what he assumed was her quite unstable emotions, but gave in when she pointed out she could not possibly reach her home, as the glass wall stood as strong as anything. At least, he had been able to reason with himself, she would be safe there. That comforting thought was what let him leave her alone, only to depart with giving her another one of those looks. She had sighed heavily in return.

So here she was; able to stare out at the expanse that was once her life. She looked back at it now – the unchanging lawn, the old, monotone house, the occasional gardener who walked by, though never seeing her in return. She wondered at it all, _had it always been that...boring?_

She had been staring at the un-touchable grass in front of her when she spied a familiar figure walking along the other side of the glass in the garden. Her breath caught, though in more surprise than pleasure. Arthur? She tried to think of a reason why he should be there when she so obviously wasn't.

He was right there; an arms-length away, well, had not that wall been there. He stopped almost directly in front of her, his back turned to her as he checked his wrist watch every few minutes. Alice watched, bewildered, as she tried to guess who he might be waiting for.

Then she saw her. There was a girl, a young woman actually, coming straight for them. She was walking toward him at a slow, lady-like pace, though Alice wandered had it not felt awkward as they just stared at each other; Arthur watching the girl come toward him at an agonizing pace. _Why can't she just run? _Alice thought to herself angrily. Her anger increased when she was able to make out the features of the girl. She was most definitely not a relation of Arthur's, like she had previously suspected, or a relation of Alice herself. Her red-brown hair was pinned elegantly to the top of her head in tight ringlets, and she was holding a pink and white lacy parasol above her head, although winter had settled in most readily and the sky was completely gray. She was dressed to match; a white and pink frilly Sunday dress that dived down the front, leaving ample for the eye to see. Alice felt uncomfortable even looking at it, but the girl obviously didn't mind – perhaps she always wore such revealing, low-cut dresses. The thought of her coming to meet Arthur in _her_ own garden made Alice's teeth grit. What business did Arthur have with her? And in her own garden, no less!

The girl eventually made it to him, a playful smile on her baby-pink lips. "Arthur," she curtsied very low, saying his name with a good deal of pleasure.

"Amy," he kissed her hand delicately, the same playful smile on his lips. She giggled.

"What a _huge_ garden you've brought me to! Who owns this place, Arthy?"

_Arthy?_ Alice thought, a little disturbed. She returned to watching the pair as they stood practically nose-to-nose, talking.

He smirked, his finger poking the tip of her nose. "Family friend."

"And are they here?" She asked innocently, though you could see the way her eyes wondered whether they could be being watched from one of the windows of the tall house. Alice had to give it to her, she was good, but she had _no_ idea of just how right her suspicions were.

"No," he shook his head grinning, obviously knowing what she meant by the question, "they've gone away for the week to enjoy a holiday by the sea-side."

She giggled again, and Alice might have admitted she would have had a sweet, pleasant voice had it not been for the fact this Amy girl was flirting with her fiancée. "And how do you know these rich people, Arthy?" Amt drew a line down his cheek bone with one long, perfectly shaped fingernail.

Alice froze. She was expecting this girl to be annoying, but not so _flirtatious_. Surely she must know this man is engaged? She listened carefully, anxious to hear what his answer would be.

"I used to be engaged to their daughter," he grinned down at Amy, no shame in his tone or eyes.

_Used to be_, Alice thought, outraged, _used to be?_ How long had she been gone for – it could not be that long, she still saw the same newly planted rose-bush from where she stood. It had barely grown an inch. How long had it taken him to give up on her? Alice glared at Arthur, wishing the wall would evaporate so she could slap him on the face.

Amy laughed heartily at this bit of trivia, before kissing him playfully on the cheek, her fingers walking up his arm. "I _love_ the way you so....flighty. How many engagements have there been? Six? Seven?" She laughed again, planting a sloppy kiss on his mouth.

"But it's different this time," he put on a straight face, though the scandalous grin behind it was obvious. Well, maybe not to Amy, who smile sweetly at him.

"Thats right," she cooed, "I'm going to reform you. We're in love!" She planted another kiss under his jaw. He knotted his fingers in her hair.

Alice left, not wanting to see anymore.

She felt sick; not entirely betrayed – as she never really did seek Arthur's love, and now apparently, never had it. Her finger felt heavy again with the rock he had given her as she wondered how many other women wore the same ring as he kissed them. Nausea climbing in her stomach, she slid it off her finger and threw it into the bushes, a tear she had been battling to keep in slithered down her cheek. She gasped; not wanting to cry over such a petty insult, though not really being able to help it. It hurt; everything hurt. She ran back along the path, her vision blurred so that she ran straight into someone's back and landed on the ground with a thump.

She muffled some sort of blunt apology without looking up. Not wanting to get up; she curled into a ball, allowing a few tears to slid out. _No more than that_, she tried to tell herself, _no more._ Her tear ducts didn't agree, and she found herself sobbing as she was curled up – her knees to her chest and her face hidden. The sobbing grew harder, and she began to gasp as she felt more and more hysterical. What would she do now? She could no longer go back the life she expected she could live back at home; it simply did not exist anymore, in fact, it never really had. But she could not stay here either – she would definitely be killed. She was torn, realizing whatever choice she made would end her up miserable. She cried harder, wondering how it could have ended up like this.

Then she felt herself being lifted up from under the arms to her two feet, and a kind hand brush against her cheek as she his her face in her hands. She heard some kind of mumbled assurance, and realized with a pang of hopelessness it had been the Hatter. _Damn it_, she cried to herself bitterly, _of all people_. She hated him; she hated this place.

She made a move to run; to just get out of here and escape. She could feel the madness of this place choking her, and the short, painful gasps that were escaping from her throat as she longed for air. She couldn't stay here any longer. Dreams were for children; and they were beautiful as long as they were temporary, but to be stuck in a world that gnawed at your soul and chipped away at your heart would bind you to insanity forever. There had to be another way. There simply had to be another way. Her feet made a leap and she began to turn to bolt off into the distance. To run somewhere – anywhere.

But she was jolted back as a strong hand grabbed her forearm and hauled her backwards into a firm chest. She stumbled as she almost fell, and was once again caught by his other hand as he brought her back up. His hands turned her quickly, then crushed her against the firm chest into a suffocating embrace. She made a move to push against his chest, but he would have none of it. She beat her hands against his chest, slapping them and hurling them at him continually – but she might as well have used feathers to push him back. She pushed and punched as silent tears streamed down her cheeks in all her agony. She was not one to usually cry; but when she did, her heart would drown in the tears.

"Alice," his voice was pleading. He tried to move a hand to the back of her head, but she managed to slap it away.

"Get away from me!" Alice cried against his chest, her hands not giving up as she continued to beat him down. He never flinched, though, just looked down in pain at the hysterical girl in his arms as she did all she could to hurt him.

"Alice-" he sighed, trying to calm her outcries.

"No! _No_! Don't even _touch_ me! I hate you! I _hate_ you!" Her angry tears dampened his shirt as the venom in her voice dampened his heart. This was too close. Too close for Alice, and she hated it. It was no lie. The hate was consuming her nerves. Her mind was a blur. Was she even saying what she was supposed to be saying? She had no idea. She continued to beat against his chest as he held her firmly against him.

"Please, Alice, just-"

"NO! Don't you see? I HATE you! I always have – I _never _loved you. Not from the first moment I saw you, and not now! Why don't you just leave me alone! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Tears were streaming freely down her face now, but the Hatter saw the intention behind her anger, and it made his eyes water, too. Instead of letting his arms drop, he drew her in closer, letting her head rest against his shoulder.

"No!" Her protests were muffled by his shoulder, but he could still hear the vehemence in her screams, "_No! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!_" She began to choke on her words as she collapsed against him, her screams so pitiful they made him cry quietly.

"He hates me!" she screamed into his coat, "_He hates me! He hates me! _He never loved me! He HATES ME!" She sobbed. "He never loved me! Not once! He's always hated me – from the first moment he saw me, and still now! He _hates_ me!"

"Shhh, Alice," he stroked her hair, warming her shaking body with his touch, "It's going to be alright. I'm here."

"I don't know what to do," she whispered into his shoulder. Her tears had dried, but her heart had drowned. She took a step back from him, turning once again to walk away from him. She needed to get out; away. She needed air; actually, she needed a lot more than that.

_No_, was all the Hatter thought as her reached out to hastily grab her forearm yet again.

Alice surprise was beyond words as that hand pulled her with alarming speed back toward him and straight into his soft lips.

Her first instinct was to step back and give him a hard slap across the face. But his lips were so warm, and his arms so inviting, she found herself melting against him, her rational side drowned under the warmth that _was_ the Hatter. She was amazed at how she could actually taste him. His agony and longing were evident, and she could feel his hope rekindling as her hands rested gently against the back of his neck and was drawn against the length of his body. His own hands were circled around her waist, holding her against him like she was his life boat out in the rough seas. Their lips molded to his infinite surprise, as she allowed him to deepen the kiss, feeling with a pleasant shiver how she warmed every part of his body. And then, all too soon, it was over.

She pulled away, her arms still around his neck as she bent her face away from him, hoping he wouldn't notice the appetizing pink that had coloured her cheeks right through till they were a bright red.

"We should do that again sometime," he joked happily. He was flying, his mood as radiant as the sun in the sky as he grinned down at her.

She only blushed redder and mumbled something incomprehensible, wondering what she had done and what that meant for them now.

So, thanks to the Hatter, she couldn't look at him for the rest of the day without her cheeks turning a devastating pink. The Hare thought it was the most hilarious thing that had happened in years. And the Hatter, well, the Hatter would only smile, basking happily in the memory of the way her arms had encircled him protectively.

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"My Lady," the messenger was at her door, leaning against the frame hesitantly, "the soldier speaks the truth. There is indeed a burnt cottage, with five charred bodies dead on the site."

Victoria jumped up from her seat, her eyes bright. "The-The soldier said there were no bodies. At least, that brining that hag's body to me would be impossible."

The messenger nodded, unsurprised. "He speaks true, your Majesty. Although three of the five bodies were slightly identifiable – two small children and a man, there were another two corpses that were just burnt so bad they could not even be moved. If we were to have attempted to bring them back, they would have turned to powder in our hands. They are two lumps of coal, basically, and one, of course, is the Queen."

"I see," she paused, "thank you. You may announce to the people that the Queen of Heart's ashes will be on display all of this week till the day of my coronation in the royal museum."

He glanced briefly at the flask still sitting on her desk. "And shall I take it from you now, your Highness?"

She glared at the suggestion. "You ignorant fool! Do not even _touch_ the remains. Find someone else's ashes and put _that_ on display. I want these for my own personal keeping."

He stared at her, slightly confused.

"Well go on!" She scolded him, "get to it!"

He ran out the door, tripping over his own heels as he went. Victoria rolled her eyes.

Queen.

She would be Queen.

A bright, plastic smile paraded her face until she realized something else was missing besides the champagne and silk still needed for the coronation.

_Alice_.

An animalistic snarl ripped through her chest at the thought of the girl. She tried to calm herself. It would be done sooner all later. She just wanted her life sooner than the later option. Besides, she was no real threat just yet. Alice still knew nothing of her plans, and as long as it stayed this way, she wouldn't dare popping her pretty little head up to cause havoc. The Queen is officially dead, so she wouldn't be putting any thoughts into her head about becoming Queen, either. Victoria relaxed. She could take her time in killing Alice – she could take her time and enjoy the experience. As long as everything stayed according to plan, that is.

As long as everything stayed according to plan.

So by the end of the third day, Victoria had settled the plans for her coronation, Alice had gone to bed confused, Hatter had babbled every detail to the Hare happily, the Hare had listened happily, Victoria's scientists were busy perfecting a new project, and the Queen of Hearts sat smiling to herself.

But none were as pleased as Abaddon, who was perfecting his _own_ plans.

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**Ohhhhh, bet you guys are all wondering whats going on there (or maybe you all guessed it and I'm out of the job. Darn.)**

**Ha ha! Romance! Kisses kisses kisses for Alice and Hatter! I'm sorry if it wasn't much – I'm not very good at writing them, but it was needed by popular demand (a special thank you to Miya for reminding me that it was about time we had some love spread over this sandwich)!!**

**Have you figured it out yet? Any theories? Come on, give us your guesses!!**

**Some special Thank-yous:**

**Steamboatwillie1928:**** Hee Hee, reading your reviews for some reason always makes me burst out laughing – they're just so funnily random! Yeah, a pocket sized hatter would be awesome, just think of all the possibilities....muah ha ha ha.....Thanks!**

**DangermouseDavs:**** Thanks so much for the review! It made me feel better right away! Good to know your plotting your theories! By the time this story is over, I'd be really interested to hear what they were!!! (And they will probably be so brilliant and I'll be like: 'damn, why didn't I end it like that?!) and yeah, I love his blunt madness, too!!!**

**LizzySkellington:**** Yeah! Alice and Hatter forever! I totally agree – they're so cute. Lol, I keep getting these urges to couple Victoria with Cheshire cat but its just sooooo wrong!!!! (Shudders)**

**Review?**


	15. Chapter 15: Time and Time Again

**Chapter 15! The end is drawing closer....dun dun dun**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland or any of the original characters.**

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Time was beginning to run out; for all of them.

The coronation of Victoria was only two days away, and you could smell the fear. It seemed to have crept up on them; making them flinch and sigh when they realized Wonderland would be in her hands all too soon. Time was indeed running out.

Alice laughed at herself – that had been what is was all about all along, hadn't it? Time. The clocks were racing and the pressure was beginning to build. And when there is pressure, there is always a bang, and Alice knew better than anyone she would be the one to feel the consequences of that bang. Alice laughed again, giving a small amount of attention to the fact; she had laughed. Perhaps it was madness, perhaps it was derision being driven in to her. Either way, she was laughing. And at a time like this, it was not normal to laugh. In reality, she should by bawling her eyes out.

But she wasn't; she felt helplessly giddy instead. This she didn't understand, and if anything it scared her senseless.

The morning sun rose early, making it impossible to sleep any longer. The day had a determination about it; it would not let its participants use its time to sleep. It made itself known with yellow, golden rays.

The subject of time was not only haunting Alice's mind, as it seemed the very essence of the word was caught up somewhere in the air.

"Good morning," a strangely placid Hatter greeted Alice as soon as she came into view, obviously he, too, being caught up in the atmosphere of the day, "Did you sleep well?" It seemed like he was asking her more with his eyes, but then again, Alice _did_ suppose she was going mad.

"I suppose so," she replied a little wearily.

"Bad dreams?" Hatter saw right through her.

She smiled. "Yes, I guess so."

He smiled back. "Was I in any of those nightmares?"

Alice blushed. Oh, so _that's_ where he was going with this. Deciding it would be only fair to tease him back, she stood up on her toes – wobbling a little as she tried to gain her balance - and planted a soft kiss on his left cheek. The skin beneath her lips turned the same pink.

"No," she murmured against his skin, "it would have been a dream if you were in it – not a nightmare." She pulled back and grinned lazily, surveying her handiwork.

It was the Hatter's turn to grow quite rosy, though he did not seem to notice it through the shock. He stared at her through unblinking eyes, momentarily stunned by the show of affection. He tried unsuccessfully a few times to speak, but only managed to breath air with his mouth hanging open. It was then, with the Hatter's mouth hanging agape, that the Hare joined them.

"Have you caught one yet?" He addressed the open-mouthed Hatter.

"What?" Was what he managed to say in return after a long pause.

"Your mouth could serve as a fly trap, dear fellow," the Hare looked at him with a certain amount of envy, as if he wished for a fly-trap jaw also.

"Oh," was all he could say to that.

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Alice had been thinking hard – it was something that had to be done, even though she had been trying to put it off for a long while now. She knew now was the time for decisions, and to make matters even worse, the Hatter had felt obliged to tell her there were no more deadlines.

"I just want you to be happy," was what he had told her.

This confused Alice further. When one is under any form of pressure, and the wrong decision is made, at least you can put the blame on somebody else. Now that was no longer the case. The decision was entirely up to Alice; her future was waiting to be decided, so naturally she thought it was time to think things through. And hard.

The first, and hardest, matter to be solved was the result of Hatter's five-day-bargain (which according to him no longer existed). Bargain or not, a decision still had to be waited on, and Alice loathed keeping people in expectation. On one hand, Alice could not deny that she _did_ like the Hatter a little (even though the very thought made her cheeks grow hot). And in time, it could be determined, that she would like him a good deal more than she did now. Besides, there was no shame in it; she thought him kind, good-natured, and very sweet (she tacked nutty and mad on the end of her list a little guiltily). Also, seeing the change in _circumstances_ that her old life had taken, Wonderland didn't seem like a _very_ bad option in comparison; in fact, it would be lovely in comparison to the whirlwind of reality that had blackened her old life. On the other hand, this _was_ Wonderland. It was a possibility that she could walk out of here alive with her head held high, able to turn a new leaf and start a new life above here. It wouldn't be so very bad; she could find her own little house and live in it. Alone. She sighed. She knew where she wanted to be, but unfortunately her heart was going against all her common sense and good reasoning.

The second matter, and one slightly more threatening was that of her own life. Apparently, to Victoria it had some value to it – but she could not guess what Victoria would gain from her own death. She was just some lost girl; how on earth could she be a threat, if even that is what she was to her? But as to this second problem there was little Alice could actually do. It was a matter of time, this one, and when the right time came, she would know. Whether that time may be before of after her death she had no idea. The thought, as dark as it may have seemed, did not bother Alice. She no longer feared death – only the consequences it may bring to the ones she loved.

Alice rarely had time to herself anymore. Expecting Victoria and her cats to pounce at any moment, it had been firmly advised she is accompanied by a companion at all times. The idea made Alice irritable, but nevertheless she saw there would be little way around it, so she gave in reluctantly. That would be the explanation as to why the Hatter himself was sitting next to her as her thoughts drifted. The occasional frown or smirk would play on her face as she shifted through the problems of her life, and the Hatter would watch, enraptured, wondering what thoughts were drifting through her mind to make her react so. At one stage, she stared out in front of her, seeing nothing in particular; and it was only then the Hatter dared himself to hope he may be the feature of her thoughts for that fraction of a second. An hour passed, so he thought now might be a good time to speak. An hour was plenty of time to think.

"Alice?" He asked tentatively.

The were now sitting in the green of the forest (a favorite place Alice had taken a liking to recently), back to back, their heads not quite resting against each other, as it would have been quite difficult with the Hatter's remarkably large hat in mind.

"Hm?" Her voice sounded distant, as if he were had pulled her from a deep train of thought.

"Are you frightened?" The question was quick.

Alice breathed a sigh of relief. She had been expecting him to demand her answer; though now pondering the question, it was probably just as difficult. Debating, she decided to go for safe territory.

"What do you mean by that?"

Hatter shrugged, not quite knowing himself.

"Did you mean am I afraid of these forest? Afraid of Victoria? Afraid of her dreadful cats? Afraid of myself? Afraid of the future? Or afraid of you?" She cursed herself for adding the last question, knowing it would be pure luck for him to chose the one she had no answer for.

Hatter just shrugged again; he didn't really need to know at all. It was just to start conversation, not that he was holding up his own end too well.

Alice sighed, deciding to indulge him. "I'm afraid of everything," she was ashamed of the statement, "I'm scared I'll die, or I'll lose someone I love. It doesn't make sense, though. I'm afraid but I'm not looking for a way out of it – especially seeing that there is one. Does that make me truly mad?"

He wished he could see her face – at least that way he would have some guide to picking the right answer. He did his best on his own judgments.

"No – just extremely stupid," he told her with mock solemnity.

Alice laughed at this, seeing that it was probably true. It felt good to be able to joke like this with him; it brought some happiness to her heart when it otherwise would have been drowning in concern. There was silence for a while between them – though it wasn't at all uncomfortable.

Hatter, growing fidgety, poked her playfully in the rips. "And who would you be so afraid to lose, Alice?" Although Alice couldn't see his face, she was sure he would have been wearing an equally playful smile. She scowled into the forest; she really did let him get away with too much.

Poking him back in his side, she put on a dreamy voice. "Hare – I wouldn't be able to live. My heart would break," she listen to him sigh impatiently in response.

"Are you sure?"

Now she was serious. "Of course – I couldn't stand to see him or yourself get hurt...that's why if theres any trouble you have to promise you'll save yourself. You'll have to run."

Hatter snorted. "Oh please, you know neither of us will do that."

"You have to!" Alice pleaded.

Hatter just shook his head, disregarding her wishes. "Would you do that to us if the situation was reversed?"

"Well – I – uh...that's not fair! It's not the same."

He chuckled, knowing he had won. "Besides, who would you mourn after if I didn't stay and fight?"

"Hare."

"Not the same," he would wheedle it out of her. Just keep pulling and pulling; it would eventually come out.

"Fine," she was glad he couldn't see the rather embarrassing color of her face, "I would miss you. Happy?"

"Infinitely," he grinned out into the forest. "How much?" He asked after another long pause.

"How much what?"

"How much would you miss me?"

Alice rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to slap him. He was obviously aiming to lead her to some sort of declaration, and she would not give into these stupid leading questions; he was putting words in her mouth.

"I would miss every aspect of your incredibly annoying being," she told him coolly.

Hatter giggled like a schoolgirl, "stop it - your making me blush," he pretended to faint – still somehow managing to keep himself in the back-to-back sitting position he had. However he did it, it must have been marvelous, as a pack of strange-looking birds flew away from some nearby trees. Alice breathed out heavily, letting her annoyance drift off with her breath.

"Hatter?"

"Yes?"

"What would _you_ do if I, uh, perished?" She smirked, steadying herself for a harsh, sarcastic response.

"I think my heart would break," he told her softly. "Not literally, well, it might – I'm not sure. But I know I would be extremely upset."

"You would?" Alice couldn't help the surprise that leaked out into her voice.

"I suppose so. I think it would be worse than that. I've never – I've never been through it, so it would be hard to say. Please don't go throwing yourself at death just to help me experience it; I think I would rather not. Can we not talk about this now?" His voice ended pitifully, "I don't like thinking about it."

"Oh," Alice didn't quite have the words, "sorry."

She could feel him shrug against her back; his shoulders heaved. "It's okay – just don't do anything stupid."

Alice managed to smile just a little bit. "Your asking _me_ not to be stupid?" She was incredulous.

"Incredible, I know," he readily agreed.

Alice found herself enjoying another comfortable pause. It was refreshing; every now and then to be able to stop and enjoy the sunlight that had been so amply provided. It felt nice – this unspoken companionship and sunny day. It wouldn't be so bad to spend every day like this, to lay back and enjoy the world as if she had the rest of her life to spend as she wished. And in a way she did, but even those promises held restrictions. It would all boil down to whether she lived to make the decision.

"I hope this isn't the last time we can come out here," she sighed, her voice unusually peaceful for such a morbid thought.

"Don't worry," he reassured her, "it won't."

"Actually," a foreign soprano voice echoed through the forest, unveiling itself, "I beg to differ." It was horrible the way the shock had worn off, and the surprise turned to recognition. Without thinking about it, Alice slid her hand out to touch his. Perhaps it was a small goodbye.

"This is all very sweet," Victoria continued, her silhouette slowly emerging from beyond the trees,  
and I would love to stay all day; but unfortunately, I have a schedule to keep. So lets get on with it, shall we?"

Behind her two cats, followed by two heavily-built guards emerged, already eager to have their time with the devastated pair. Obviously having already received some form of instruction, they wasted no more time and pounced on Alice, leaving the Hatter stunned at their speed. He tried to claw at their backs – anything to get them off, but their skin was hardened leather, making all attempts useless.

Alice had her eyes popped open, too frightened to squeeze them shut. Time and time again she waited for their teeth to sink into her skin; their razor-sharp nail to dig into her heart, but nothing even scratched her. The cats secured her down to the ground firmly within no time, leaving the guards with nothing to do but approach her solemnly. With a swift backhand, both the Hatter and Alice dazed off into black unconsciousness, the last feeling passing through her body was being dragged along the bumpy, forest floor, stones sticking into her sides.

Alice was dead. She knew it.

There was something painful about it, like she was covered in tiny blue and black bruises. Before her there was nothing but black, a vision stretching off into eternity. Her mind could see no reason, no possibility other than death. She was surreal; a being that was not entirely herself. Even the black around her wasn't just black – instead it was cold, and damp, and even smelt a little. She grimaced; she had expected death to feel somewhat different from this.

Then there was the light.

It flooded her vision, sending her spirits soaring. At first it was wonderful, relaxing; perhaps heaven was coming for her to sweep her up from this dark Wonderland. The light had faded though, as had it's appeal once a certain voice broke her surreal state. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, hoping that it may be enough to return to death. Death was blissful, it was the aftermath of the horror and the pain. But now it seemed it was back, back to hurt her and torture her and break her. She cursed under her breath, knowing all too well the death she had wished for would be coming for her once again, though it would not be nearly as pleasant. No, instead it would be horrific.

"Sleep well?" The voice Alice loathed chimed.

Alice clenched her teeth, quite ready to kill this woman for breaking her blissful state. Opening her eyes, Alice could finally see where she was. She must have confused reality with her dreams, as she now sat in almost pitch darkness, slumped against a cold, damp, blue-stone wall. The only light streaming in was that from the doorway Victoria was standing in. The room was small and dirty, and if Alice had strained her ears hard enough, she would have been sure to hear rats. So, Alice had been brought to a dungeon. The thought of who or what had been in here previously made her shiver.

"I hope so; you were gone for quite a few hours – I almost found myself growing used to it. I must say, Wonderland without you – even for those short hours – is a wonderful place. I think I grew rather attached to it, actually," she smirked at Alice, her eyes holding a frightening hunger.

"Release me," Alice's voice had intended to come across strong, but delivered itself as a tiny squeak. She wanted to slap herself.

"Okay," Victoria stepped away from the doorway, gesturing madly to the gritty hall. Alice stared at her, confused, and eventually Victoria burst out laughing at the girl, though no kindness was meant by it.

She chuckled again, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. "Ah, Alice," she sighed in humored satisfaction, "you _do_ make me laugh." Then her face hardened. "But as the white rabbit would say, we are running late. I should have killed you long ago, but I think all this hunting would have made your blood all the more valuable, don't you think? Of course you do." She dismissed her with a flick. "So," she grinned down at the girl slumped on the floor, "let's begin, shall we?"

She flew her hands at Alice's neck, gripping the bone's as she did so. Alice gasped and struggled against her grasp, clawing at her face to try and reveal some sort of weakness. Her fingers left a red trail along her right cheek, making Victoria's hands loosen enough for Alice to pull free. Panting, she took a swing at the woman's stomach, making her crumple to the floor.

"Guards!" Victoria cried out from the ground, "Guards!"

Panicked, Alice bolted out of the room, tripping slightly over the bumpy stone. Already she could hear voices behind her, urging her to stop. She did not. Down the narrow corridor she ran, followed by another corridor, then another. She ran wherever her lags would take her, getting lost in the endless maze. She spied a staircase carved into the wall and climbed up it. She did not stop running, though her muscles begged her to. At the top of the stairs was a giant room, large enough to echo a thousand screams, although one would be enough. It was richly furnished; marble decorating every surface and rugs hanging from every sort of direction. The cries that had followed her had died away, and for the briefest of moments she allowed herself to feel safe. It was a bad choice. Slowly emerging from the double doors came her enemies, hungry for her death. Victoria lead the mass of cats and men, her face twisting into a fury that would consume blood.

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**It's getting closer.....**

**Thank-yous:**

**StrawberryKousagi: Thank you! Abaddon is a bit of a sneak...**

**Verity Strange: Thank you so much – I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, Victoria and Abaddon would be terrifying in a romantic sort of way! **

**LizzySkellington: 'Finally' is just about right! He he – hatter and alice forever!**

**Miya: Yeah, I'm glad you did point it out! We needed some looove lol! Thank you!**

**Steamboatwillie1928: lol, don't worry – I think your funny! Hope you haven't been screaming at the computer for too long (not that theres anything worrying about that....ahem)!!! Thanks! (pocket-sized Hatter – who knew?)**

**DangermouseDavs: mmm...gingersnaps, twice as good as cookies! Damn, you spoil me!! Yeah, I've got a soft spot for Abaddon in my heart, even though.....*GASP* I can't give anything away! (hits my head against a wall)!!! Keep forming those theories!**


	16. Chapter 16: The Prince of Hearts

**Wow! QUICKEST update in the history of ALICE! (Though I've been working on this one for a while).**

**Well,**

**This is it.**

**All is revealed. (The main stuff, anyway)**

***GASP***

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the satisfaction of presenting this chapter to YOU!**

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A ferocious snarl ripped out from Victoria's chest, her face twisted into darkness as she bared her teeth at Alice in an animalistic fashion. With such a maneuverer, it was now hard to tell the difference between the army of cats and their leader; they blended beyond recognition. She leaned toward her intended prey, stunning Alice into silence at such a transformation. Gone was the muted, repetitive calm that defined Victoria's presence, her collected eeriness nothing in comparison to the frosting rage that had overpowered her now. Alice could do nothing but stumble backwards, her mind racing frantically to collect some sort of savior.

Alice continued to back away, her hands behind her as she touched everything she past – tables, chairs, candlesticks, tapestries – she felt for anything that may rival the strength of her sudden enemies – anything she could use. She found nothing. All were mundane, everyday items that might be used to fight off the odd drunk. But not these people. Victoria stalked toward her, followed by her entourage of cats, growling at Alice and flexing their claws till their prey was paralyzed by fear. Alice could go no further back; her back hitting the carpet-covered wall. She swallowed hard; hoping death would come swiftly and softly. Victoria smiled.

"The time has come, Alice," Victoria informed her dutifully, "you have managed to avoid this meeting for quite some time; but I could no longer delay – I am impatient and restless."

Victoria stared at the girl, watching her as if she were making sure Alice was truly paying attention, only releasing the stare when she was properly satisfied. She took another step toward Alice, her eyes hungry not for blood, but the power that would follow the shedding of it. She was no natural killer, Alice realized with a jolt of hope. She was ambitious and ruthless, but she was no killer – not for the thrill of it, anyway. Alice's mind searched for possibilities, her hope building as she dared to dream she may be spared by this barbaric woman. Her hopes declined a little, though, as she saw a devious smile spread across her executer's face.

"I have looked forward to this for quite some time, Alice," she crooned at her, her smile lingering, "all my life, actually. Your death will be my birth – a life for a life; that is how I see it." She searched Alice's face, somehow miraculously managing to find the hint of hope Alice had allowed herself to believe, then taking the opportunity the squash it like a bug. She spoke again, her voice ringing nothing but truth. "I keep no guilt, Alice, whatever you think I _won't_ do to you, I assure you; I will do it. Just rest assured your death will be productive; your death will assure my rulership over a better Wonderland. And knowing you are gone for good, will allow my to sleep a little easier tonight, so thank you for that, too."

Alice couldn't help herself - the calm, authoritative tone in Victoria's voice she had so easily claimed back after such a display, her heartless killing spree, her supposed vision of a 'better' Wonderland – it all intensified the hatred dripping over Alice's words and thoughts.

"A _better _Wonderland? _A better Wonderland?_ What a wonderful place you will evolve it into! You disease your subjects, you kill innocent children, you claim your power to be your highest asset! You are a tyrant, and yet you speak to me as if I have a choice in the matter! So, why don't you just get on to it before I die from hearing of all of your 'plans' and 'aspirations.' Go on," Alice spat at Victoria's face, "why don't you just kill me already?!"

Victoria kept a perfectly straight, controlled face. Her lips were in a grim line as she watched Alice order for her own death, sizing her up and evaluating her constantly, wondering if she should deliver the girl what she wants.

"You are surrounded, Alice," she told her, though the fact was quite obvious to Alice, "and my cats are hungry. But I will not feed you to them, because I admire your determination, though I would never apply it in my own rule. As a gift, I will give you your death, and you will be honored at receiving it."

"Will I?" Alice asked sarcastically, unable to believe a word the woman was saying.

"Yes," Victoria ignored the irony in Alice's voice, "you will," she informed her calmly. "Because you will be the first ever to suffer at the hands of the disease – improved." She unveiled Alice's death rather excitedly, as if Alice should truly be honored at the gift. The awe seeped into her voice as soon as the disease was mentioned, and she felt compelled to deliver the sentence with a certain kind of...explanation.

"There was a time, at one stage, when I was actually proud of my creation. The disease to me had been the ultimate – death no longer wasted, but used to deliver power into the waiting hands of it's creator. My disease and the cats it brought me had been a blessing, and it took years to perfect. However, just recently, I had grown restless with my weapon. It worked, yes, but I wanted something better, something stronger, something more...powerful. I wanted to evolve the disease into something that could never be rivaled – for the rest of eternity-"

At this Alice quirked up an eyebrow. The move did not escape Victoria's notice.

"Ambitious, yes," Victoria conceded somewhat sheepishly, "but nothing is impossible. I wanted Wonderland under my rule to experience and witness power like it has never seen before. And I wanted it to be in history books for centuries to come. So I got to work. It took me _days_, Miss Alice, _days_ to find the answer," she told her triumphantly, "and here it is; the new disease. Mind you, it would have been far more impressive had not that fickle old Queen stolen the transformation potion I was going to put in it. Allow me to explain this disease, then you yourself can see it in action like no other before you."

Alice could do nothing but nod helplessly, shivering slightly at the thought of what was to come.

"It starts out very much like the old disease; pain, shivering, evolving – you know, procedure – but then, it takes a drastic turn. The pain is so indescribable, it numbs the mind till the victim's system shuts down. It takes out all physical movement first; leaving you numb and defenseless, then it goes to work on the brain. It wipes it all. The cats you see before you hold subconscious memories, thoughts, and feelings in their mind. In a sense, they are still whoever they were before I got to them, all the old disease did was take away their ability to process and recognize these thoughts. Not so with my new creation – it will wipe away _every_ essence of _Alice _that is in your head, in your body, in your soul. You will be an empty shell; a vacant house, that is, till I move in and take over you – then you will be completely obedient. You will be perfect. Imagine that, Alice, _you_ will be _perfect_ to me."

Alice was now staring at Victoria in horror. For the first time her curiosity vanished, leaving Alice wishing to hear no more.

"As to your physical appearance, if you wanted to know, these cats in front of you will be nothing in comparison. They are strong, yes. They are frightening, yes. But you – you will be the dawn of a new era. Under my reign, there will be cats like no other. Your kind will eat off the victims of the old disease – so if it makes you happy, you will soon enough have your revenge on these cats behind me now – and you will be the new race. Monsters. You will be monsters. Your shaping body will first look like a cat, then it will explode into the body of a creature of the night. You will be feared like no other thing before you – no other thing after you. This I promise you."

"No," Alice choked out, her future twisting into visions of nothing but misery, "please – feed me to the cats, please – no!" Alice pleaded. "Death I could take, but to be in subjection to _you_!"

Victoria only smiled, skepticism marking her words. "And the Queen of hearts thought _you_ would become a Queen. She thought _you_ could fill the role. If only she could see you now – begging for your life like a selfish little girl. _I_ am doing Wonderland a favor by knocking you out of the way, remember that. Oh! - If only the Queen could see you know, what a pitiful _child _you have grown up to be!"

"I _can_ see her."

Victoria froze instantly. Her superior grin dropped from her features as they turned into confusion, then to disbelief, to exasperation. Torn on the edge of hysteria, Victoria began to roar with laughter, her eyes almost crazed. "Really!" She cried out hysterically, "what _must_ one do to get rid of you? Must I drown you, then stab you, then burn you, then squash the ashes, then send those particles down the river, collect them and _then_ bury what is left?!"

Alice payed no attention to her, only continued to stare numbly at the older figure in the doorway. No, it couldn't be...

Victoria now turned around to face the older woman, the sickly smile still plastered on her face, while the Queen of Hearts' figure was now coming towards them with unusual grace, for such an ancient-looking woman.

"I don't believe you were invited, your _majesty_," Victoria spat out the word with mock humility.

"And I don't believe it really matters, _Victoria_," the familiar voice rang through Alice's ears.

"No," Alice murmured to herself out of sheer disbelief, "it can't be."

The Queen, now only a few steps away, gave Alice a hardened look. "Don't look so surprised, child. And close that gaping mouth of yours – it's most unattractive," she lectured her in a disapproving tone. The fact that Alice was mere seconds away from death didn't seem to bother her too much.

Victoria, already impatient with the unexpected visit, cut in hastily: "Yes, well, this reunion has been lovely, but I really _must_ finish what I came here to do. Besides, I have other things to attend to after this; namely, killing _you _once I'm done with the little wrench of a girl." With an impatient snarl, she snapped out a glass flask from somewhere within the ample folds of her dress and removed the cork lid. Black haze seemed to usher itself out – far more than the flask seemed at first able to contain – and was guided to Alice's vicinity. Alice struggled to find away to escape the mist now surrounding her head, and ending up giving up on breathing altogether. It is a hard thing to do, and eventually she was forced by instinct to take a sharp breath. Black haze gratefully entered her soul. Already having masked herself, and watching the display with great pleasure, Victoria ordered to the cats: "Now, kill the Queen!"

But a booming voice came from the end of the hall, halting the cat's movements. "Wait! Allow me, your Majesty!"

All three turned in shock, (a hard thing for Alice to do as her eyelids were already growing dreadfully heavy) to see yet another member to join the unlikely party. It was only Victoria who looked please upon seeing who it was.

"Why, Abaddon!" She cried in delight, gesturing him to come quickly. "I do believe you are quite right; I owe you a kill, don't I? Please, go ahead then and enjoy yourself, noble warrior." She clicked her fingers at the cats, making them shrink back from the old Queen.

He nodded at her solemnly, and sauntered up to to the small, for lack of a better word, party. He had his finest battle apparel on; a thick red cloak and a glassy breastplate. For once he was not smiling, as he drew his long, thin sword; instead his lips were pressed into a grim line. "As the lady wishes, I shall kill the Queen." And quicker than anyone could react, he pierced his sword through Victoria's heart, causing a ripple of red blood to seep out from her velvet layers. Victoria looked down in shock at the sword still in her body, then up at Abaddon. A small, weak smile spread over her lips.

"My, my Abaddon; you _are_ the destroyer, aren't you?" Her breath wheezed as she struggled to stay on her feet.

"Yes, ma'am. And now I have destroyed you," he told her, every particle of his body radiating the grimness in the air. He kept the sword in her, and the last thing Alice saw before she blacked out was the narrow point of the sword coming out of Victoria's back.

"Ha!" Victoria tried to make her voice strong, but the red pool around her ankles was growing bigger, and her vision was blurring, "it will take more than my death to stop my power reaching Wonderland. You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over!"

Angered, he withdrew his sword from her flesh (causing Victoria to struggle with pain) and stabbed her again in the gut. Now she crumpled to her knees, a few last wheezes and an unearthly chuckle escaping her lips before the life fully drained out of her. She lay, quite dead, as her robes and hair were painted red with her own blood.

"And we're painting the roses red," Abaddon whispered to himself. He looked up finally, expecting the cats just as he saw them. They were there; but lying asleep on the ground, steady breath passing in and out between their jaws. A yellow mist had entered the room, just as he had planned it. The last of the cats breathed it in and fell asleep instantly.

"Well done, Abaddon," the Queen of Hearts strolled over to him and put a firm hand on his broad shoulder. She could see the hatred in his eyes as he stared down at his blood-stained sword. Carefully, he slid it back into it's holster on his hip. "I see the sleeping potion in that flask worked. Look at them; sleeping like little children."

"Thank you," he murmured, "I had been worried she would move your 'ashes' from her room to another part of the castle. You know the sleeping mist would not have covered the entire castle had the flask not stayed there. We were lucky, ma'am."

"I'm glad I used the right recipe to create it; otherwise we would _all_ be dozing off," she added with a small chuckle.

She smiled at him, wrinkles deepening as they covered her face like twisting paths. She took her hand off his shoulder and took his hand in hers. Her face beamed at him, pride oozing. "I am proud of you, my son."

He didn't respond immediately, only looked over to where Alice lay slumped against the wall, her complexion quite green. "Thank you, mother," was his final reply before the sound of clumsy running scampered its way into the room. There was panting breath till it caught the sight of Alice. A deadly gasp escaped the additional pair of lips.

"Oh no! Alice!" The Hatter cried, stumbling his way over to her pale body. He turned to the two onlookers, his face clouded with fury and tears. "Why couldn't you stop this? She is going to die, thanks to you!" He bent over Alice, hiding his face in her neck and crying bitterly. He cursed those average onlookers – couldn't they see she needed help? What had they been doing this whole time – drinking tea as Alice lay waiting for death to come?

"Calm yourself, Hatter," the Queen ordered superiorly, "she will come around soon enough."

The Hatter's head popped up, tears still falling. He failed to notice the way she knew who he was. "She will come around soon enough? _She will come around soon enough_? She has been struck with the disease! SHE IS GOING TO DIE!"

The Queen rolled her eyes, "I said calm yourself. She is _not_ going to die; she has an immunity to the disease. Why do you think I kept feeding her little bits at a time? For fun? She will be unwell and weak for a few days; as Victoria let it out on her on full-force, but she will pull through."

At this Hatter seemed to finally realize who he was talking to. He stood up rather guiltily, as if he did not want to leave Alice's side for more than a second. He stared at this old woman and young, handsome warrior. "It's...It's you? It's _you_? You – the poor old woman? You were there all along, your Majesty?"

She smiled tiredly at him, thankful he finally understood after all this time. "I have been taking great care of you and your friend, Mr. Hatter. As has my son – Abaddon."

Hatter's gaze drifted from her to her tall, black-haired son. He was well built, though a little imposing in physique, also in the way he seemed to frown at the Hatter – his handsome face crumpling as if the top-hatted man was somehow distasteful to him. Hatter smiled timidly at him, not quite wanting to get any closer to him or his blood-stained sword. "Thank you," was all he could say, not sure though of _what_ exactly he was thanking him for. Heck, with a glare like _that_ why should he be thanking him?

But Abaddon did not notice the Hatter's small greeting, or the bewildered look on his face, as his eyes were steadily fixed on the girl now groaning slightly on the floor. She frowned as if something seemed had pained her, though her eyes remained closed. There was a thin layer a sweat on her brow as she frowned. A small, pained gasp escaped her lips and her head rolled around as if she were caught out at sea.

"Come," he addressed them, "we better get Alice out of here so she can heal better. She does not look good." _Sick like that_, he amended in his head.

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They had walked in and out of the castle corridors freely; as the cats were sleeping, and as the Queen explained to them, would remain so for as long as they wanted. Additional guards, upon hearing the news of Victoria's death either fled or begged forgiveness. Alice was carried on a stretcher; her body swaying as she was carried through the rooms.

"We can bring her to Hare's house; she already has a bed set up for her there," Hatter told them anxiously, unwilling to let go of Alice's dead hand as they walked.

Abaddon rolled his eyes, but whether it was at the suggestion or the sight of the Hatter holding Alice's hand, one could not tell. Perhaps it was both. "No," he told him, his voice holding the same superior tone as his mother's, "that will not do. There are plenty of rooms here in the castle that are stocked with the appropriate medical equipment. We will look after her better here in the castle."

Hatter shook his head, stubborn as ever. "Absolutely not – I'm not letting Alice out of my sight. Besides, how can I even trust you?"

Once again Abaddon rolled his eyes skyward, making a heavy sighing sound. "If that's the way you feel about it, then consider the castle your home until Alice is well again. That way you stay with her _and_ she can receive every proper medical attention she needs."

The Hatter refused, even though he knew it was the best option. Perhaps he just liked arguing with this fellow, even though he did not like him all too much. There was something about the way this tall, black-haired man said Alice's name that he did not like...

"Look," the Queen cut in, impatient with all Abaddon's bickering and the Hatter's blind stubbornness, "she is staying here, and that's an order."

Hatter whimpered slightly, though eventually nodded.

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Alice woke up feeling, well, like she had been trampled on by a herd of elephants. Her eyelids opened sleepily, yet painfully, and her breathing was something more like croaks. The pain had been awful, she felt like throwing up but felt she lacked the strength to even for that. Black spots still blackened her vision as she looked up, and her arms and legs felt as though every bone had been pulled out of it's sockets and disconnected. But all in all, she couldn't complain – after all, she was alive, wasn't she?

She listened to the sound of her wheezy breathing, then with a jolt realized hers wasn't the only breathing in the room. For a moment, she panicked. Surely Victoria had been killed, hadn't she? Why, she saw the blade go in herself! She tried to see past the blackness, hoping it wasn't Victoria standing over her.

"Alice?" A distinctively female voice sounded. Alice squeezed her eyes shut; no, no, no; it couldn't be Victoria. Then she realized; she knew that old voice. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, making the older woman chuckle.

"It's okay, Alice," the voice was strong yet kind, "it's only me."

Alice opened her eyes again, and could see the Queen of Hearts leaning over her, holding her hand in her own. To Alice's satisfaction, the black spots were clearing.

"You can see me now?" The Queen asked hesitantly.

"Perfectly," Alice's voice sounded hoarse, even to herself. She tried to clear it, all to no avail. The Queen chuckled again.

"Alice?" She began softly.

"Yes?" Alice gazed up at her.

"I need to ask you something that is very important. In fact, I don't think I can stress it's importance enough."

Alice was startled. She tried to sit up, but the Queen pushed her down.

"No need for that, dear. You just have to listen then give me a yes or a no. But let me warn you; once you have decided there is no turning back."

Alice frowned, worried. "What-what do you mean?" Once again she tried to get up, only to be pushed back down again.

The Queen sighed. It was the kind of sigh you could hear a history behind; the tiredness, the anger, the failure, and the story of the Queen all tumbled out into the air with that one sigh. Alice waited patiently, and you could have even heard a pin drop as she waited. Finally, after what seemed years, the Queen spoke.

"I am old, Alice. I am sure I did not have to tell you that; you would have realized it already. Why, I believe even dust collects in my wrinkles, and my body is almost useless. I have served as Queen over my people for longer than I can remember – and yet I can still remember the sights and smells of my first years on the throne. My time is running, out Alice, and though I hate to say it, I will very soon die. It is sooner than you think Alice; if you were my age you would understand the feeling. I can almost _feel_ death in me, and it won't be long before that feeling turns to reality. My son, Abaddon, refuses the family crown."

At this Alice's mouth hung open. "Can...can he even do that?"

The Queen looked forlorn, as if talking of her son's future grieved her beyond words. "He most certainly can. He has refused rulership ever since he was a little boy, and no matter how hard I try, he will not accept it. So, you see that I am left with a problem."

Alice blanched as she realized the intent behind the Queen's words. "Problem?" She tried to look nonchalant.

"Yes," the Queen sighed, not fooled by Alice's games, "I have a very big problem. When I die, Wonderland will be without ruler. I need you to take the throne. Well, Alice?"

Alice stared at her. "No."

"No?"

"No."

The Queen seemed puzzled by this slightly. She opened her mouth a few times without any sound coming out. She finally found the words, though. "This...is not what I expected."

Alice had to choke back a hysterical laugh. Surely this wasn't really happening, was it? "Me neither!" She put out with a grin.

"Hmph," the Queen muttered, still thinking Alice's answer through. "Well, may I suggest you give a little more thought to it. You call me when you have made your final decision." With a swift movement, a little too swift for someone of her age, she had made her way out of the room, leaving Alice alone with her thoughts.

And what thoughts they were, too! They bounded along the inside of her head like a pinball machine! Her emotions were running through her veins, pulsing and pushing, ready at any point to spill over into hysteria. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself.

So Alice thought, and she thought hard. She considered very detail and every possibility, but every time she came around to the point of making a decision, her mind still said 'no.' And what did she have to base her decision on, anyway? It hardly felt like she had a choice, and yet the idea was so absurd, so child-like, it seemed impossible in every particular. Chastising herself had grieved her, and made her feel guilty, yet her answer was still denial – how she wished someone could make the decision for her. She went round and round in circles, till eventually she gave up on it. Time passed as she stared at the ceiling above her, slow feelings of strength returning as time passed. She had no idea how long she had been there; merely staring at the elegant carving above her. It felt like days. Gently, a mild knock was tapped against the door, obstructing her attention. The door was pushed open slowly, revealing the man that made her want to scream.

A desperate choke sounded in her chest, her immediate thoughts being that of approaching death. It was silly, but the sight of him simply spelled warrior – a fact she found hard to simply dismiss, especially considering she owed a good deal of her own life to him.

"You're – you're-" Alice trailed off, her mind not quite able to place the name, or connection. All she could see was the warrior, and the death that followed the assumption.

"Abaddon," flatly he supplied his name. He stared at her straight faced, not moving from his position in the doorway.

"And you're the Queen's son? You're the Prince?" Though the words may have been a statement, she was unsure of herself. A few seconds ticked by, while she waited for him to give any sign of response.

"I am not," he told her firmly, almost angrily, "I am not the Prince, nor will I ever be. You will never tell me I am the Prince again, do you understand me?"

"But-"

"No," he was definite, "No. I have never wished for the crown – but I _have_ come here to urge you to accept it," he watched her intently, searching her blanched face for something – anything.

"No, I will not," she told him, unable to meet the disappointment in his eyes.

"Then I will persuade you," he promised her. In a startling quick movement he abandoned his post by the door and sat down on the chair next to her bed. He gazed down at her, as if reproving his own wronged child. "You don't understand; it is _vital_ you accept the crown. This isn't just a matter of walking in and taking a Kingdom over; there is a war – a war we intend to win."

"A war? And who in their right mind would appoint _me_ to lead when there is something as drastic as a war going on?" Alice cried defiantly at him, panic settling in.

He frowned down at her. "Alice, you know that _none_ of us are in our right minds here. But that also includes you," to this Alice shook her head stubbornly, "You are needed Alice. It may not make sense to you – not yet – but we know what we're doing; we know what we are asking of you."

"No," Alice shook her head, desperate to find some way to ward off the reason he was bestowing upon her, "you don't."

"Alice," Abbadon's eyes blazed with black fire, taking her shoulder with a firm grip as he stared down at her, emphasizing each word, "I made the mistake of rejecting and abandoning Wonderland when it needed me, Alice. I suffered the consequences of that foolish action. Now, I cannot take up that rule – my chance has gone, even now when I would be willing to help. I rejected the rule when I was very young, Alice; I was cruel and selfish. Don't make the same mistake I did. My life now is nothing but guilt, and it burns me. I don't want you to live like that. Think about it, Alice; I know you will make the right choice."

In one swift movement he was out of the chair, releasing Alice with such force she fell back onto the pillow, bewildered by his actions. He waltzed out the door, either not bothering or unwilling to glance back at her. The door slammed shut, as if he were in a hurry to escape her.

Alice lay back, unsure of what to make of the brief conversation, let alone the man she had shared it with. Once again, staring at the ceiling above her, Alice was now sure of two things;

The first was that she would recover; already she felt the disease drain from her, and she would be fit and well again. She yearned for that time.

The second; she had made her decision.

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**I hope you guys liked this chapter! I have spent a while touching it up and adding to it, so I hope it managed to deliver! Yet, there is still more to come...(dun dun dun)**

**Send in those reviews! I need to know what you thought! Don't leave me hanging! Were your theories close? (Or a little way off....... ) tee hee**


	17. Chapter 17: Just the Beginning

**THE LAST CHAPTER OF 'ALICE'!**

**Well, its been fun, and I've got to say I'm glad this one is out. But rest assured, there will be a sequel, so keep a look out for it. There's not so much left to say but thank-you all for reading, and thank-you for your kind reviews.**

**(p.s. Sorry if it jumps around or doesn't quite make sense. It's leading up to the sequel...)**

**So, here it goes: *deep breath***

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Alice saw him for the first time in what seemed like weeks – which, in reality, wasn't probably too far off the mark.

A reunion is probably one of the most mis-interpreted meetings ever beheld. Throughout history, the picture is painted to perfection, and the lovers unite under the stars of a heaven unlike any other. Usually, the heroine's heart begins to drum in her ears, her knees shake and the lashes framing her wide eyes flutter in a frenzy. Just over a quaint little bridge stretching over a silver stream is her lover, and the sight of him makes her want to collapse into a state of bliss. She turns pale, or red, or if the film is truly creative her freckles are emphasized. The hero is gallant and toned, brooding out in his glory, as she runs to him and closes the gap. While the girl swoons away into his arms in sheer ecstasy, the man smiles to himself smugly, knowing all is safe and settled. Around the lovering pair is nothing but a pale mist, and the sound of nightingales stretch to every corner and become entangled with the flower's petals. It's all very beautiful, and slightly nauseating, but hardly the case.

So when Alice saw the Hatter again, her heart failed to go into hyper-drive. She did not turn red, or pale, or even perform the curious trick of developing freckles within just a few short moments. There was no bridge, no birds, no flowers and there certainly no mist. Swooning was unheard of, and if the Hatter had grown a rather impressive display of muscles, I would be very much surprised. So, in order to be fair to the rather awkward pair, the reunion must be painted as it happened.

He had stood at the door awkwardly, watching the girl he loved recover. She was standing up now – her strength returning day by day, and sooner than anyone would expect, she would be running. The glimmer in her eyes would indeed return, and the sharpness of her smile would evolve. It would all be in good time, but for now, the Hatter was just happy to watch her stand. They were alone in the room – the same room she had been in for the past week. She smiled at him reassuringly, and all seemed to be alright. For a moment, he basked in that sunny reassurance her lips offered him. All to soon, though, the happiness of the moment collapsed.

"I haven't seen you at all," she told him coldly form the other side of the room, her smile quickly fading. Her hands were now on her hips, her body positioned for attack.

"Well, I-"

"Not a single visit," her pent-up anger was beginning to leak through her voice, although she was struggling to keep it even.

"I can-"

"Not a letter,"she continued. She glared at him evenly. "Nothing."

"It's all very-"

"Where have you _been_?" She demanded, her voice dangerously close to yelling.

"Uh, well-"

"_Where_?" She sauntered up to him at great speed, not stopping until their noses were almost touching. Under different circumstances, his heart would have been beating for something very different from fear.

She was angry. _Very_ angry, and in Hatter's mind little warning bells were going off. In a twisted way, he could have taken it as a compliment; she had missed him. In a violent sort of way. But he felt no self-congratulation now. His only wish was to wipe away to beginnings of a tear that was trembling on her lower lashes.

"You left me," she accused him, dabbing her finger into his chest.

"No, Alice-"

"You did!" She cried. She felt a strong urge to punch him, or throw her fists at him repetitively, and if he acted any later, that wish probably would have been very likely to turn to reality.

"Shh," he soothed her, pushing one finger against her lips, ignoring the aggravated glare she was pouring over him. She tried mumbling more insults against his finger, but her words only flowed out into mush. She tried again. Mush. Eventually she gave up, and resorted to glaring.

"I wanted to come," he told her gently, tucking a stray strand of golden hair behind her ear, "I wanted to come."

She mumbled a denial against his finger, her words coming out so deformed he couldn't help but grin. Deviously in control, though, he pressed his finger further into the soft skin, chuckling at her reaction. Quickly; swiftly, he let his finger fall to the crook of her neck and lent in to press his lips to hers. Warmth spread between them instantly, and cheeks flushed pink.

"I forgive you," she breathed as soon as he gave her the chance to speak again.

He laughed a light, carefree jingle. "Thats was quick – now I know how to convince you."

She responded by punching him, her cheeks still a little warm.

"Then what kept you?" Alice asked him, her curiosity mounting.

Immediately a shadow dropped over his eyes; his mood abruptly shifting. Whether this was intentional or not, Alice could not tell. All she could see was the indecision in his eyes. "I can't tell you. Not now."

Alice stared at him, as if waiting for him to go on. But he did nothing; he only stood there, watching her wearily. "And," Alice began dryly, "that's all your going to say."

"Yes."

"Oh," she clicked her tongue, "well. That just works out fine, doesn't it?"

"Come one Alice," Hatter comforted her, "not now, I told you. It's – uh – complicated."

"Complicated?" Alice demanded incredulously. It sounded wrong coming from him – too cliché. She knew everything here was complicated. He was walking proof of that. So how does 'complicated' suffice as a reason. She stared at him, disbelieving. She repeated herself. "_Complicated?_"

He sighed, knowing no good would come of this, quite literally, which is exactly why he kept his mouth closed. For a little while, anyway. "Don't argue with me Alice – you're unwell."

"I'm perfectly fine," she snapped. She hated it when he played her out to be vulnerable.

"When you're Queen and well again, you can question me as much as you please. Not now, though. Please," he pleaded.

Alice breathed out something of a gasp. "When I'm _Queen_?" She demanded.

Hatter looked confused. He checked behind his back a few times, then dropped his voice to a whisper. "That _is_ what you are going to choose, isn't it? That is what you want, right?" He glanced down at her horrified expression, then backpedaled madly, his voice rising to panic. "Don't tell me you're leaving! How could you?"

"Hatt-"

"You're choosing them over _us_? How could you want that, Alice?" Hatter cried at her, "you are nothing to them! But here, here you are – well, you get it. You're more than that. Why-how could you possibly-how can you just-what made you think-it doesn't even make sense-why would you-how could you even want to?" He fired at her, with a little incoherency, still unable to believe what he was hearing.

"I never said-"

"You don't even _belong_ up there – wait, what did you just say?" Hatter swung his head down at her, his ranting momentarily paused. He tried to make a mental note to listen more, which was hard for someone with a limited attention span.

"I said that I never said any of that," Alice struggled with the odd sentence, "you're jumping to conclusions – again."

"You mean you're staying?" He was trying to pent down the hope that was crawling back in to him.

"Well," she hesitated, not quite sure herself whether to agree or deny, "sort of. I think. In a way, I suppose."

An eyebrow quirked up at this. "Vague, dearest," he informed her.

She frowned at his term of endearment, though not making any objection to it. Not yet, anyway. "I suppose the best way to make you understand is, well – like you tell me I cannot know why you were gone," she looked at him now, making sure he comprehended. He nodded his head, though a little slowly. Nevertheless, she was satisfied and continued. "Well, I guess it's the same. I can't tell you anything definite. Not now. Will it be enough to tell you I'll be here for now?"

Hatter smiled; relaxed for the time being. "More than enough." His arms moved to encircle her, though they were not as sure as they used to be.

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_(One week earlier)_

_Hare was, as usual, sitting outside enjoying a quiet cup of tea. It seemed the day for it; as tea served as a great elixir to all pains, well, for him at any rate. He stretched out luxuriantly, savoring the delight of peace. Surrounding him was nothing but serenity, and he may have enjoyed it all so much better, if his dear fried had not been burying his face between his hands._

"_Dear fellow," Hare addressed the crumpled figure, waving his tea cup around vaguely, "you simply _must_ have some tea. It is the cure for all sorrows, it is the balm for all pains, and the solution to all predicaments. Come, let me pour you some."_

_The crumpled Hatter just shook his head, as it was the best response he could give. Disdainfully, he managed to stretch one long arm out and smack away a tea cup. The china bounced to the ground with a loud _'crack,' _making the Hare glare relentlessly toward his bothersome companion._

"_Stop this, Hatter," he scolded, "you are acting like-like, uh, something that acts inappropriately," he waved his hand in the air, as if trying to catch the un-named likeness he was referring to._

"_Like a child?" Hatter prompted, demonstrating his marvelous skill of changing his mood abruptly. His head had popped up expectantly, happy to solve the puzzle of the missing likeness._

"_No, no – the behavior of an annoying child would be thoroughly commendable," Hare sighed haughtily at his friend's ignorance, though his mood was now dampened at his missing noun. _

"_Like a fish?" Hatter suggested hopefully._

"_Like a fish? Like a fish! No, no – I know! Like fish sticks!" Hare jumped up and down on the table, splashing milk and tea about everywhere. He clapped his hands joyfully, congratulating himself on his own genius. "That's it! That's it! Fish sticks!"_

"_Fish sticks?" Hatter asked incredulously._

"_Yes – fish sticks. You know; fish sticks. They're like, they're like.....oh, drats. What are they like?" He thumped his paw against his head, trying yet again to muster up the invisible likeness._

"_Fish sticks are like something that acts inappropriately?"_

_Hare rolled his eyes, appalled with such an outrageous suggestion. "Fish sticks are like something inappropriate? What a _horrible_ likeness, dear Hatter. Who would have thought up such an outrageous remark?" _

_Hatter thought for a moment. "My apologies," was all he had after a good ten minutes._

"_Accepted," Hare grinned over a freshly poured cup of tea. He was now secretly glad Hatter's attention had been diverted; glad, that is, till a small moan came from the other side of the table. Hare sighed, knowing it must be confronted sooner or later. "What is it now?" He grumbled._

"_I am no longer distracted," Hatter mumbled from the crook of his arm._

"_Stop thinking about it, all will solve itself in due time," Hare told him wisely._

"_Yes," Hatter sighed, "but when it comes to that time I know it shall be too late."_

"_Have you told her?" He asked unexpectedly._

_Hatter looked absolutely horrified. "Told Alice? Are you insane?"_

"_Yes," Hare smiled to himself consolingly. _

"_She would kill me," Hatter continued to moan._

"_No she wouldn't," he urged, then wondered if she would._

"_Fine," Hatter conceded, "she would just hurt me really, really, really, really bad."_

"_Better."_

_Hatter sighed. No matter what angle he looked at it, there was no safe option. _

_The truth was; he hated himself. He hated himself, and if Alice knew, she would surely hate him too. He had not always hated himself. He didn't even hate himself when he met Alice. It was just now – with the guilt now settling in on him. He had made her fall in love with him – though she would never admit to it – and now he had discovered the possibility he may not be able to fulfill his side of the bargain. _

"_She's going to kill me," he changed his mind. His thoughts suddenly turned bitter, "and she should."_

_Hare looked up, startled, his tea postponed. "Nonsense. You didn't want for it to be like this – you had no choice in the matter."_

"_But I do, that's the problem."_

"_It's suicide."_

"_What option isn't?" Hatter countered._

"_Options aren't easy. In fact, they they are so difficult at times, one could almost liken them to, to.....uh, to.......fish sticks."_

_But the Hatter didn't hear him. He was staring off beyond the gates of the small cottage and into the dark heart of the forest. After an agonizing silence, he spoke, his words dripping with poorly concealed agony. "Perhaps I should just leave her be," he spoke quietly, "I cannot lie to myself. She would be better off without me."_

"_That's not true," but the Hare's voice wasn't as convinced as he wanted it to be._

"_Think about it, Hare," Hatter continued to whisper in the direction of the woods, "you know it cant work out. Not with me like this. I have nothing to offer. I can't see her anymore."_

_Hare opened his mouth, then closed it again. He tried to think of an argument, but none surfaced. He sighed heavily, knowing his friend's fate better than anyone._

"_You do whatever you think best," he advised him at last, "but be sure to tell her. You never know – she may be willing."_

"_If she is then _she_ should be the one deemed insane – not I."_

"_Perhaps, perhaps," Hare nodded nonchalantly. The idea of Alice turning insane did not seem as ludicrous to him as it did to the Hatter. Besides, weren't they all mad here? In truth, Alice's being made might make the situation a little easier, a fact that wouldn't, couldn't and shouldn't console the poor Hatter. _

_Hatter sighed, knowing his friend's thoughts all too well. "Either way, I die."_

"_Yes, you die," Hare shrugged toward his tea. He had known that for years. _

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Abaddon sat with his mother; an odd sight had anyone be so unfortunate as to fall upon it. The strong, yet elegant young man sat contrasted with his frail, witch-like looking mother, whose fingers had the habit of scratching at themselves, as if trying to claw at the death that was pulsing through her veins. She gave a small cry at her skin being broken under the pressure, a small trickle of blood flowing from the wound. Abaddon scolded her.

"Stop that, you'll drain yourself till there's nothing left for nature to do," he had not meant for his tone to be so bitter, but it seemed that was all his mood could amount to these days.

"How sweet it would be to drain myself now! I am in such pain, my son, I feel dea-"

"Don't speak of it! I will not hear you mention that word! Live your life till that last, don't throw away your dignity now!"

The Queen 'hmphed,'not pleased by the way her son seemed to have such power over her nowadays. She may be an old, falling apart, grouchy woman, but surely she still had her tyranny left? "Why should I not anticipate it? I have found my heir – since the original so kindly retreated from all responsibility, being the noble sort of man he is – and she will be Queen. Why is now not the best time to slip away-"

"Alice has agreed to be Queen? She told you she would do it?" Abaddon stared at the old woman, wondering how she had managed to do it. Even when he had visited her, he realized she had a will of iron. It would have been hard to break her, he guessed, but who else than a frail old woman should do it?

"Well," she gave him an impish, "not quite. She has not spoken to me directly about it. But she _will_ be Queen – I know it. Wonderland will not release her."

"So she's here to stay," it was a statement, and even he seemed brightened by the idea.

"As far as I'm concerned; yes." A long moment passed, each lost in their own thoughts. Abaddon was the first to share his, though they would not be particularly pleasant to anyone but him and his mother.

"And what of the Hatter?"

She smiled coyly at him, resting a floppy hand on his broad shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about him – he will not be around for much longer. Trust me."

"You're going to have him killed?" Abaddon looked shocked.

"Oh no," the Queen rushed in, "let's just say time does not stop. Even for the Hatter. His years will eventually catch up with him," she gave him a poor imitation of a wink. If anything, it was more like a crumpled blink.

"Oh," he breathed, realizing, "how curious," he murmured, though he was comforted by the idea.

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Alice sighed contently, drawing herself against the dainty table that had been provided for her benefit. It was a beautiful piece – white with gold designs laced through the wood. It felt almost like home when she sat at it. Almost. The bright side of the matter was that she was well again.

Well, almost.

She had been convinced to stay in the palace, by numerous people, many of which she did not know at all. She had been transferred, though, to a larger, finer room. Everything in it was magnificent – from the rich colors to the heavy, expensive smell that seemed to be permanently in the air. No doubt it was fit for a Queen, a purpose Alice couldn't help but feel was planned. But now, sitting in the flickering candle-light, just as she was off to bed after another long day, she opened her red-leather journal she had requested and flipped it to the first blank page. There, on her pretty desk with her thoughts oddly peaceful, she began.

And on this page she began to write with pen and gold ink.

_My name is Alice..._

And she would continue to write in that leather book for many years. The pages would fill till they could hold no more – so numerous would the adventures and stories of Alice be. One day, it was certain, a small child with dirty hands would find the odd keepsake and be able to read of the fantastical adventures she experienced and the love that grew after she wrote her first opening sentence. Because, even now, with her pen moving steadily across the page during the first night of her records, she knew it was just the beginning.

_...it is just the beginning._

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**Signing off,**

**Schnook.**


End file.
